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PRESENTED BY 




A Friend of Children. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD 



WORDS OF COUNSEL TO PARENTS, 
CHILDREN OF SCHOOL-DUTIES 



BY 

ICHABOD CRANE, THROUGH A MUCH BELOVED 
/ TEACHER 



10*53 



Reading, Pa., 1920 

I. M. BEAVER, PUBLISHER 

123 North Sixth St. 






ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



. 









IN MEMORIAM, 

THIS VOLUME IS HUMBLY DEDICATED 
TO THE SACRED MEMOEY OF CHAELES 
O. KNEPPEE, FOEMEBLY PEOFESSOE OF 
HISTOEY AND BELLE-LETTERS IN HEI- 
DELBERG COLLEGE, TIFFIN, OHIO; THE 
MOST PAINSTAKING, THE MOST DEVOTED 
AND SELF-DENYING TEACHER, UNDER 
WHOSE INSTRUCTIONS I EVEE SAT. 
The Author, 

ICHABOD CRANE. 



FORE WOR D 



As are the present boys and" girls, so will be the fa- 
thers and mothers of the coming generations, while not 
all of the present boy and girl is in the future father 
and mother; yet all the boy and girl of to-day will, 
however, bo in the coming father and mother. Now if 
we, who have sincerely at heart the prosperity, per- 
petuity and future welfare of our country, the con- 
tinuation of our free institutions and this union of 
states; if we would have the coming millions of our 
land strong, mentally, morally, religiously and phy- 
sically, then must we lay deeply the foundations of 
our future national life and character in the hearts of 
the hoys and girls of to-day. firmly building upon the 
fundamental principles of moral integrity, religious 
convictions and a profound responsibility to God; 
then shall the future citizen patriotically cherish the 
liberty and freedom, the heritages of our fathers, and 
stand as an adamantine wall and a rampart of ice 
against all the encroachments and onslaughts of in- 
justice and unrighteousness, civil and moral wrong. 

Little book with all your defects, I send you forth 
like so many autumn leaves scattered by the winds, 
flying hither and thither as they drop from the trees, 
so you, leaves of this little volume, go forth flying into 
the homes of the rich and the poor, the high and the 
low alike, from which are moving out the hoys and 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 5 

girls who are to make the men and women of to-mor- 
row. And as you fly, point out to their parents 
that higher educational aim and purpose and inspire 
them for their holy training duties; as you go forth 
warn against the educational faults of the home and 
the neglected duties to the child, and kindly in your 
rustlings speak to them as to the proper means for 
bringing up the boy and the girl as becoming members 
of society, pointing out to them the true principles' 
for the formation of a genuine character ; and be you 
ever, little book, a nourishing fountain for parents 
and a crystal stream for their children, a monitor 
between parents and teacher, a perpetual spring of 
power for the nuturing of true citizenship and aiding 
in the making of the American people a nation men- 
tally, morally, religiously and physically strong, that 
they may at all times be "Spartans'' in the defense 
of their God-given liberty, freedom and inalienable 
rights ! 

By a true-born American! 

ICHABOD CRANE. 
Sleepy Hollow, 1920. 



SERIES A. 

LETTERS. 

INTRODUCTORY TO THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 



"Then were there brought unto him little children. 

that he should lay his hands on them, and pray: and 

the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer 

the little children, and forbid them not to come unto- 

me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven." 

(Matt. 19: 13-14.) 

— Jesus. 




Margaret and Her Pupils. 



THE S0HUOL-CH1LD. <} 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

I understand that you are about to engage in the 
highest and noblest of avocations, that oif training the 
child-mind, or as it is more commonly expressed, you 
are going to engage in teaching. Since you have con- 
cluded to enter this all-important calling, which has 
to do with the training of the child not alone for time, 
but also for eternity — time and eternity are virtually 
linked together in the great art of teaching, it will 
afford to me great pleasure, as your former instruc- 
tor, to address to you several letters on this vital sub- 
ject, which you propoise to make your future avocation, 
namely: The Education of the Child. 

Now in our correspondence, we shall not limit our- 
selves to those possible instructions, which the child 
may receive in the school-room itself, but rather we 
shall take a more comprehensive view of the subject, 
beginning with the home, the true centre of all edu- 
cation, hence many times in carrying out the aim and 
the purpose of our correspondence, we shall be 
pleased more frequently to address the fathers and 
mothers who are committing their children to your 
care, oversight and instructions than you : in so doing, 
we hope that as your patrons acquaint themselves with 
what we have to say to them through you. a more mu- 
tual relation and a better understanding, as to educa- 
tional and disciplinary means, may obtain. 



10 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

And in order that our correspondence may have 
certain definite, intelligible relations, we shall divide 
our letters to you into several series, indicating these, 
as well as the general divisions of our subject by the 
first four letters of the alphabet: A, B, C and D. 
Series A, A General Introduction to the Subject; Ser- 
ies B, The Physical Education of the School-Child; 
Series C, The Spiritual and Ethical Education of the 
School-Child; Series T) } The School Itself. And in the 
consideration of this general theme, The Education of 
the Child, the first sub-topic that we shall consider is : 

THE CHILD, ITS WORTH. 

Children are the greatest treasures of the parents, 
the most precious gems. They are for the parents a 
higher possession than money, honors and lands, and 
more than the highest intellectual attainments. The 
Psalmist says: "Children are a heritage of the Lord." 
And Jesus by this utterance acknowledges the high 
worth of the child-soul : ' ' I say unto you, that in heaven 
their angels do always behold the face of my Father." 
And also the sacred historian tells us that: "He took 
them up in his arms, and blessed them, laying his 
hands upon them." 

The general public praises the possession of chil- 
dren as the greatest wealth. This is confirmed by the 
following proverbs: "Children are a blessing to the 
home. " The larger the number of children, the great- 
er the fortune." "The parents who are deprived of 



THE SCHOOL -CHILD. H 

the blessings of children are to be pitied." lie, hay- 
ing no children, knows not what love is. and knows 
not wherefore he lives. 

Truly, all earnest fathers and mothers voice the sen- 
timents of the following words of Schleiermacher : 
"Children are not only precious, from God entrusted 
talents, for which we have to give an accounting, not 
only inexhaustible subjects oif anxiety, for duty and 
love; they are also an immediate blessing for the 
home ; they refresh the life and delight the heart. ' ' 

Children transform the needy cabin of the poor 
into a place of sounding joy, and without children the 
most luxurious home of the rich appears empty. A 
home without the laughter and the smiles of children 
is like a garden without flowers and a forest without 
the song of the birds. 

Duke Lorenzo de Medici of Florence, at one time, 
showed to Count Eberhard of Wittenberg his rich 
castle with all its sumptuousness and costly works of 
art. And, in doing this, he ascended from the least 
worthy objects upward to those of the highest value. 
And at last the duke remarked to his much interested 
guest : " I have shown you all that is costly, I will now 
show you my most precious possessions/' The curi- 
osity of Count Eberhard was very much aroused. 
Then the duke led him to the living room of his great 
castle and placed before him his sons, who were re- 
ceiving instructions from their teacher; then he intro- 
duced him to his amiable daughters, who were busily 



12 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

engaged with their mother in sewing and knitting.. 
The duke was indeed right; for after all, what are- 
houses and lands, gold and diamonds, honor and re- 
noun, over against good and obedient children? A 
child one can love is entirely different from all these 
things ; one can so loive it that the heart becomes truly 
warm, rich and joyous. 

Therefore, father and mother, who have the good 
fortune to be kissed by sweet innocency, to be caressed 
by the hands of obedient and loiving children, rejoice, 
guard and protect your children as long as your eyes 
remain open ! They are the highest gift of your God I 
The greatest comfort of your lives! They are the best 
that you possess ! 

Hence, dear friend, as the parents are committing 
them to your care, entrusting them to your training 
and instructions, they are placing in your trust their- 
most precious treasures and dearest gems! 

"All the bells in heaven may ring, 
All the birds of heaven may sing, 
All the wells of earth may spring, 
All the winds of earth may bring; 
All sweet sounds together; 
Sweeter far than all things heard, 
Hand of harper, tone of bird, 
Sound of wood at sundown stirr'd, 
Welling waters, winsome words, 
Wind in warm wan weather. 

"One thing yet there is, that none 
Hearing ere its chime be done 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. - 13 

Knows not even the sweetest one 
Heard of man beneath the sun, 
Hoped in heaven hereafter, 
Soft and strong and loud and light 
Heard from morning's rosiest height, 
"When the soul of all delight 
Fills a child's dear laughter. 

'Golden bells of welcome roll'd 
Never forth such notes, never told 
House so blithe in tones so bold, 
As the radiant mouth of gold 
Here that sings forth heaven, 
If the golden-crested wren 
Were a night-in-gale — why — then 
Might be half as sweet as when 
LAUGHS A CHILD OF SEVEN." 

Respectfully submitted, 

Ichabod Crane. 



14 TH-fai SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

It is indeed very true that "the child delights the 
keart and gladdens the home/' but it is also equally 
true that it is possible for it to sadden the heart and 
tot blight the home. In its heart are God-planted, re- 
ligious and moral life-germs ; these, if properly fos- 
tered and nutured, will germinate, spring up and rip- 
en into the noblest and purest moral virtues in its- 
character-formation. 

But a tare is also present, which, if permitted to 
gain a foothold through negligence and indifference, 
will choke the good seed, resulting in the entrance into 
its character of some of the most deterent vices. One 
of the most earnest questions forcing itself upon the 
hearts of every sincere father and mother, deeply in- 
terested in the future spiritual, moral and intellectual 
welfare of their children, is: "What particular ne- 
cessary training shall be given them that will make 
of them noible men and women, becoming members of 
society, and mould for them characters beautiful and 
tnie*" This anxious parental question leads to the 
following theme, which we shall be pleased to con- 
sider with your patrons : 

The Problem and Significance of Education. 

Proverbial has this advice become : * ' Parents can 
give no better portion to their children, wherewith to 
set out in life, than a good education." This is indeed 
very true. For there is no finer equipment with which 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 15. 

to contend against its discouragements, to meet its dis- 
appointments and to solve intelligently its problems 
than a well-disciplined and cultured mind. But to 
educate, properly, children is a difficult art, and very 
few are therein masters. This high task will not per- 
mit of an indifferent performance if good results are- 
to follow. To it belongs serious reflection, earnest at- 
tention and self-devotion. And there is no sphere 
wherein the sins of omission are so many as in this. 
The parents, if they would not be groping about in 
darkness, should have very clear ideas concerning 
this: Unto what, and how they wish to educate their 
child. But it is right here where views widely separate. 
There are parents unto whom the word "edu- 
cation" does not signify anything more than simply 
toi rear, to serve and to provide. Then again there are 
others who by the word "education" imply the cul- 
tivation of the mental faculties, the acquisition of a 
certain knowledge and intellectual accomplishments, 
and believe to have done sufficient when they send the 
child to a good school, where unto it the most excellent 
instructions shall be imparted by efficient teachers. 
Certainly, all this is of the highest worth. But it is 
far from being a full discharge of the educational du- 
ties belonging to the parents. 

The child shall not only know much and think keen- 
ly, but it also shall be an achiever, becoming an ethet- 
ically free and self-dependent active personality. To 
properly educate a child means to unfold in a har- 



lo glhe school child. 

monious manner all its talents, faculties and powers 
"that it is disposed to every good work." Others 
again express themselves as follows : To properly edu- 
cate a child means to designedly and systematically 
influence it that it becomes a personality, which shall 
be permeated by the spirit of Jesus and resemble His 
image. 

The celebrated pedagogue. Dr. Dittes. says: "The 
aim and scope of* an education is a healthy and well- 
developed body, a richly informed and reflective mind 
and an ethically pure and strong active will, and for 
the beautiful a susceptible disposition, and a rational 
religiousness." Can one indeed think of a duty more 
worthy and higher for himself than this: To so edu- 
cate the children of men that they fulfill the aim and 
the purpose as designed by their Creator and become 
images of the divine'. 

Now, there are for this general rules, but their ap- 
plication must be different with each child, conse- 
quently no specific law can be laid clown that will ap- 
ply to each individual. Just as no two leaves of the 
same tree are exactly alike, so no child is like unto the 
other, even in the same family. Each child has its 
own individuality and requires an education fitting to 
its case. Dear father and mother, we cannot form the 
children according to our notions and ideas; but just 
as God has given them to us, so must we have and love 
them. The one has this and the other different gifts. 

Tf parents educate well their children, this not alone 
brings blessings to the family, but also the community 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 17 

and the state shall thereby profit; since the boys and 
girls will grow up and some day become the fathers 
-and the moithers, the members of the community and 
the citizens of the state. The child becomes whatever 
the education makes of it. In this it must however, not 
be implied that noble parents cannot have spoiled 
children, and that mean parents cannot have good chil- 
dren. There is no rule without its exceptions. But 
the probabilities of deterioration are very seldom, where 
the children arc environed by a good and conscientious 
■discipline. Veracity and piety, obedience and love 
work with an irresistible force in and upon the heart 
•of the child. 

Father, mother, be at all times deeply impressed 
with the holiness of your educational office, and be- 
cause of this-wait with love and faithfulness. Remem- 
ber, parents, in your children you may earn heaven's 
infinite blessing or its eternal condemnation. They 
are gonig to be in that shadowy future your judges. 

Culture's hand 
Has scatter 'd various o'er the land; 
And smiles aud fragrance rules serene 
Where barren wild usurp 'd the scene. 
And such is man — a soil which breeds 
Of sweet flowers or vilest weeds; 
Plowers lovely as the morning light, 
Weeds deadly as an aconite; 
Just as the heart is trained to bear 
THE POISONOUS WEED, OR FLOW 'RET FAIR." 

Respectfully yours, 
2 Ichabod Crane. 



18 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hqllow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

' ' Families are a unity of which society is composed, 
as tissue is made of cells and matter of molecules." 
From the family spring the clans, the tribe and the 
nations. The primordial institution is the family. It 
preceeds all other organizations, and if we can accept 
the word of Jesus, it shall also succecl all Gfthers in that 
final great family reunion "in the mansions of His 
Father 's abiding-places. ' ' 

A true family is the source of all religious and eth- 
ical life, and the purer this fountain head is, the 
greater will be the glory of the nation. Therefore, that 
the child be properly prepared to perform its duty as 
a citizen, toi earnestly meet the disappointments and 
discouragements in its life-struggle, and to fulfill the 
exalted aim of its Creator : 

The Family, The Best Educational Center. 

The principal educational institutions are- The 
family, the Church and the state. However, in the 
course of time, as an additional means for discipline 
and instruction, the school is introduced. To the fam- 
ily belong father, mofther and the children. Families 
are the cells out of which the community and the state 
are built up. And always, the purer the life in the 
cells, the better is the order in both the other life-com- 
munications. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 19 

Genuine community and state feeling can only 
thrive where true family feeling is at hand. Above all 
in the family there must be dominating a religious- 
ethical spirit. A good home-rule is the foundation for 
a good government, by the people, obedience to law 
and order and the nation's happiness. The parental 
home is the most natural and most complete educa- 
tional center, and its fashioning power can by noth- 
ing be supplanted. Here education rests upon the 
deepest and firmest foundation, the love of the par- 
ents. Also the family provides greater means for men- 
tal and moral training than any other educational ar- 
rangement. 

"Just as little, as that the sun will ever be out- 
shone by the best electric lamp, so little is it possible 
that by any ingenious measures and ai raugements the 
educational influences of the family shall be super- 
ceded ? ' School and life can better much in the child, 
complete and transform, but its inner being, just as 
this has been formed in the home, so will it un- 
changed remain. What the home has neglected or 
wherein it has sinned against the child, can never be 
fully eroded by any culture or education : it is like 
a wound in the body, which can be carefully healed, 
but the print will ever remain. 

When, in a home, purity, the exalted Christian vir- 
tues of godliness and modesty are not dominating, 
when conjugal and parental love are not deeply root- 
ed, her fails a warmth towards the child, its heart 



2Q THE SCHOOL-CHILI). 

cooils and its nature becomes impoverished. There is 
no more beautiful picture of human well-being than 
a family in which the spirit of Christian purity and 
love reigns. Here parents and children live together 
in a contented unanimity, here joyous efficacy rules, 
here dwell peace and genuine happiness. Such a fam- 
ily is the soil wherein the education of the children 
thrives best. 

The family educational means are partly such that 
work undesignedly, partly such which are intentional- 
ly applied. To the first belong- the morals and the 
customs dominating in the family, the joyful and sor- 
rowful occurrences that may happen within its circle, 
by which the children are also affected, and the model 
of the parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, 
uncles and aunts and other persons in the home inter- 
communications. The example which is presented in 
the family works, therefore, most deeply into the re- 
ceptive child-soul. 

Father, mother, always think of this: That life of- 
fers no association which is parallel with the family 
in like worthiness, and that you can give your child 
noi more beautiful and better remembrance for its 
whole life than this, a happy and joyous family life 
in the paternal home! 

Concerning the importance of child-education in the 
family. Dr. Whittock expresses himself in the follow- 
ing words: "The family is the true center of educa- 
tion, the first and the best school of moiral discipline. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 21 

Everything that is good and e v il, right and wrong, 
fostered and nurtured in the individual family, grows 
in a certain measure upon and reproduces itself in the 
children, that each person in physiognomy, so like- 
wise also in character, bears in himself certain family 
traits, which shall not leave him throughout his whole 
lifetime. The education in the parental home, where- 
fore, remains always the best." 

"Home — an endearing name for the heavenly state. 
This fond attachment to the well-known place 
Whence first we started into life's long race, 
Maintains its hold with such unfaltering sway, 
We feel it e'en in age, and at our latest day. " 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



22 TK£: SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

That your educational efforts may be conducive to 
the best interests in the mental and moral unfolding 
of mind and character in the children committed to 
your instructions and care, the relations between 
patrons and teacher should be co-operative in both 
oversight and discipline. 

But since the family is the principal center of 
training, here belong to father and mother certain 
educational prerogatives, duties of discipline and su- 
pervision, that dare not be neglected, nor can they be 
delegated to any other institution, if the best results 
shall obtain in the school-life of the child, wherefore: 

Father, Think of Your Duty! 

The father is the chief head of the family. It is 
he that gives it a name, and to him attaches its sodai 
and civil standing. He is its provider and protector. 
And in all family affairs he has the last determining 
word. Upon him also falls the principal responsi- 
bility for the education of the children. Duty obliges 
him to take into his own hands the reins for this. To 
him belongs the role of law-giver and governor. He 
has for the children the "thou shalt!" and "thou 
shalt not!" to declare and to carefully watch that 
they shall be obeyed. And through this indwelling 
authority he shall instill in the hearts of his children 
revorence and love. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 23 

There are fathers who, as men, have earned the 
highest esteem, and are also richly enjoying the same 
through their fellow-men, yet in one of the highest 
duties that God has placed upon them, the education 
of their children, they are inconceivably negligent in 
the performance of the same. Many fathers think 
this is also, during the school-period, the particular 
affair belonging to the mother, and excuse their little 
interest in the education of the children with this, 
that their vocation, business relations and duties and 
other activities require their entire attention, power 
and time. They believe to be doing their entire duty 
when the}- provide food, clothing and the necessary 
school-supplies. They do not wish to be importuned 
with those " childish nursery-affairs." Many a father 
who has no time to concern himself about his chil- 
dren because his watchwords in life are: "Business, 
make money, provide for the family," becomes a rich 
man. but in his highest capital, his children, hereby he 
loses. 

Even though we must concede that to the father, 
whose activities in the greater part lie outside the 
home, not so much time remains for him as for the 
mother, yet, notwithstanding, his duty and answer- 
ableness are not any less, that he unite with her in the 
education of the children. To the father falls the task 
to acquaint himself with certain fundamental laws of 
reasonable child-training, to carefully think o v er the 
proper educational means, to communicatively coun- 



24 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

sel with, the mother liow eacli child, according to its 
character-disposition, is to be dealt with to its best 
advantage, and to deliberate with her relative in all 
important educational incidents and cases of disci- 
pline. Further, he shall with loving solicitude watch, 
over the home-training and always faithfully stand 
beside the mother seeking to lighten her burden. 

Deeply it is to be lamented when the father spends 
the most of his evenings during the week in the club- 
house, in the halls of the various fraternal organiza- 
tions to which he may belong, in the concert and the- 
atre; when at home, the noise of the playing children 
annoys him; when, as soon as the mother would coun- 
sel with him concerning children-affairs, with these 
words turns her aside: "Do please allow me to rest 
from all this! This is a matter belonging entirely to 
you!" And when he then must exert his influence. 
in unbounded anger punishes at once, unjustly and 
severely. Out of just such environments often there 
develops a system of hushing and deception. Since 
the mother fears the fierce outbreaks of the father, 
desiring to spare him and not to disturb his humor, 
she secrets from him first smaller and later greater 
ill-behaviors of the children, until she knows not any 
more how to help herself. 

How entirely different it is in a family where the 
father has on his lap the smallest one, and the larger 
ones sitting aronnd him, maintaining himself with 
them, relating historic stories or reading to them, en- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 25 

trusting to them his life experiences and observations 
and controlling their school-labors! How mightily 
such relations of intimacy bind the children to the 
father! How willingly the children accept his coun- 
seling admonitions! How few the words of reproof 
that fall ! And how thankful the children are for such 
hours! Yet in old age will they think and speak of 
them. Children with such an environment in the 
honne, in school will cheerfully obey the commands of 
the teacher "to do" and "not to do," and delight- 
fully perform every required task and duty. 

Father,, it will be about your child a protecting arm, 
keeping it from treading the primrose path of sin and 
falling a victim to its own heart-temptations. "Fa- 
ther, take to heart the words of Rouseau, which he 
places before you in his book, ' ' Emil : ' ' "He who does 
not fulfill the duty of a father has also no right to 
become a father Neither poverty nor riches, nor any 
human consideration can release him from the edu- 
cation of his children." And take for your rule this 
saying of Rueckert: 

11 A father shall, each day, to God pray: 
Lord teach me, Thy charge, to rightly discharge 
In my child this day." 

Respectfully yours, 

ICHABOD CRAXE. 



26 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

As already pointed out, the component elements of 
a family are father, mother and children. The moth- 
er not alone gives to the children their physical ex- 
istence, but also through the warmth of her affections 
those in-planted religious and ethical life-germs are 
caused to germinate and blossom, to foster the tender 
plants and provide for them nourishment until they 
become fully fructified in the actions and wills of her 
children. 

The moral virtues, truth, veracity and righteous 
ness, and the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, kind- 
ness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and meekness, 
giving to the child nobleness of character and sweet- 
ness in disposition, find their highest exponent in the 
soul of a true and godly mother. 

As long as Eome revered the mother and the home, 
that long the empire was assured ; and as long as the 
battle-cry of her legions was: "The Hearth and the 
Home!" they remained invincible. 

"I feel that in the heavens above 

The angels whispering to one another, 

Can find among the burning words of love, 
None so devotional as that of Mother!" 

Mother, Think of Your Dignity! 

MOTHER! What does not center itself in this 
word? In its riiic? we behold a wife, rocking a child 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 27 

upon her arm or leading it by the hand; a wife with 
the rich fulness of a godly heart, adorned with a quiet, 
gentle spirit of meekness, and with a diligent, indus- 
triously working hand. If anywhere a picture out of 
the family life has any particular attraction and 
charm, it is that of a loving mother. 

She is the center of the family, the sun of the home, 
the magnet attracting all. The example hovering over 
-all. No eye is so vigilant, no hand so incessantly 
moves, no heart so warmly loves like mother 's ! 

The mothers dare be proud because of the many 
honor-names and the adages all nations give them. 
The German says : "Motherly fidelity daily renews 
itself." "Be the mother ever so poor, yet to the child 
she gives a warmth." "That which goes to; the moth- 
ther's heart reaches but to the father's knee." The 
^Venetian says : ' ' Mother, mother ! He having her calls 
her, he, having her not misses her." The Russian 
isays: "The prayers of a mother bring up from the 
bottom of the sea." And another remarks: "Moth- 
er's hand is soft, also when she smites." And nearly 
all nations have this aphorism: "One mother sooner 
can support seven children, than seven children one 
father." 

The mother's love exercises upon the heart of the 
child the moist potent and deepest influence. The late 
Dr. Spurgeon writes: "Most men are what their 
mothers made them. Like the garden so the gardener ; 
like the wife so the family. A good mother is the soul 
of the house. ,, 



28 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

"Her ofliee there, to rear, to teach, 
Becoming, as is meet and lit, 
A link among the days, to knit 
The generations each with each.'." 

The noble Swiss, Pestalozzi, a man of the people and 
an eminent educator, names the love of the mother 
the best educational means and would place entirely 
into the hands of the mother all education and in- 
struction. In his Gertrude he holds up before us an 
idea-picture, a mirror, how a true mother lives for her 
children, provides and endures, teaches and rules- 
them. 

Noi wisdom that is taught can give to the child that 
which one word or look of the mother gives it. A good 
mother is a household priestess, who educates her chil- 
dren into the good, the true and the beautiful^ 
through love and religion; she through love awakens 
the germ of religion and through religion nurtures 
the germ virtue. The mother, the mother's room, 
rearing, love and care for the child can be replaced 
by nothing, through no school, no orphanage, no gov- 
erness norr teacher. 

As to the depth and greatness of the influences of" 
the mother upon the heart and mind of the child, the 
life-history of many eminent men demonstrates. A 
traveler who had learned to know the mother of' 
Goethe, remarks: "Now I fully understand why Goe- 
the became the man he was. " Schiller felt himself' 
likewise hiffhlv indebted to his mother for directing 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 29 

Iris heart, mind and character. It is reported, concern- 
ing the poet Herder that he venerated his mother as a 
saint. The philosopher Lichtenberger writes in his 
"•Account and Reminiscences of Himself: "The re- 
collection of my mother and her youth has become 
unto me a heart-strengthening' means, which I always 
receive with the best results., when I am anywhere 
wavering towards evil. From a good mother go forth 
streams of blessing upon the child." The celebrated 
philosopher Kant confesses: "AH that is good in me 
I owe to my excellent mother.*' Pestalozzi exclaims: 
""Mother, mother, you point ont to me God, in your 
commands, and 1 find Him in my obedience. Mother, 
mother, if I forget God, I forget thee." Adelbert 
"Stifer says in his sweet narrations: "The mother is 
the most beautiful and most imperdible place of the- 
•son, yet when he has gray hair, and each has in this 
universe but one such heart." And Peter Rosegger 
places before us this confession: "My beloved, good 
mother, who with the treasures of her sayings, stories 
and hymns ignited the spark in me, nurtured and 
•cherished that which, in itself, bore a world full of 
poesy, to her, my good, unforgetful sea of enchant- 
ment, I thank all; through her cheerful and kindly 
disposed watchfulness my talent was exalted. The 
tjest in me I have from my mother." Lord Shafts- 
bury's tribute to a humble woman: "All that I am to- 
day, and all that I have done. I owe, under God, to 
that good woman's influence whoi taught me the story 



30 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

of Christ's love." Napoleon Bonapart once re- 
marked: "She who rocks the cradle rules the world/ 7 
Abbot tells us: "George Washington was left a 
ward, bis father having died when he was about six 
years of age. "Washington ever honored his mother^ 
who had been to him a guardian angel. In his daily 
life she set before him a pattern of every virtue; she- 
instilled in his perceptive mind those principles of. 
nobility and piety that ornamented his character, and 
to which he was indebted for success in that wonder- 
ful 'career upon which he had entered. Never did she 
refer to him other than as 'George.' " It is to the 
training and simple democracy of this most eminent 
of American mothers that we owe our form of gov- 
ernment. And the Father of his Country, writing of 
his mother while he was President, says : ' ' All that 1 
am I owe to her." 

John Quincy Adams says : "All that I am my moth- 
er made me." Daniel Webster's moither, like the 
mothers of so many men of eminence, was a woman of 
more than ordinary intellect and personal force of' 
character, which was felt through the humble circle- 
in which she moved, and deeply did she impress her- 
self upon her immortal son. The greatest regret of 
one of the most eminent and purest of American 
statesmen. Henry Clay, was that he was deprived at 
an early age of his mother's counsels, conversation 
and care. Abraham Lincoln once remarked to Sew- 
ard, nearly half-century after her death, with tears:. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 31 

"All that I am and hope toi be I owe to my angel 
mother." Yes, mother's love, care and labor are not 
commemorated in bronze and marble, bnt in the hearts 
of her children her memorial is erected. 

Bnt beloved mothers, you whoi may read this, con- 
sider that this praise only applies to mothers who are 
entirely filled with the exaltedness of their holy call- 
ing, who are animated by a self-sacrificing and self- 
denying love, who in the education of their children 
surrender all. but not to such who are living more 
outside of the home than in it, whose minds are en- 
tirely occupied with fine clothing, society, concert, 
theatre and ball, to whom motherly duties are intol- 
erable, and who look upon their children as a burden 
and indifferently leave them in the care of ignorant 
and frivolous domestics or almost exclusively with a 
governess or teacher. 

"I have loved through foreign lands to roam, 
And gazed o'er many a classic scene; 
Yet would the thought of that dear home, 
"Which once was ours, oft intervene, 
And bid me close again my weary eye 
To think of thee, and those sweet days gone by. 

"I have pored o'er many a yellow page 
Of ancient wisdom, and have worn, 
Perchance, a scholar's name — but sage 
Or bard have never taught thy son 
Lessons so dear, so fraught with holy truth, 
As those his mother's faith shed on his youth." 



32 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

"My mother! Manhood's anxious brow 
And sterner cares have long been mine; 
Yet turn I to thee fondly now, 
As when upon thy bosom's shrine 
My infant griefs were hushed to rest 
And thy low-whispering prayers my slumbers bless 'd." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 33 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret 



In the school or department over which you are pre- 
siding you have under your care and supervision boys 
and girls of nearly like ages. And in your methods of 
instruction you are governed by certain general edu- 
cational principles ; you must consider not so much the 
individual subject of your teaching in your arrange- 
ments, but rather the educational matter employed. 
For this you have prepared a course of instructions or 
it has already been laid out for you by a higher school- 
authority, having in view the attainment of certain 
intellectual ends and mental qualifications. 

This, however, is not entirely the ease in the family 
school over which father and mother are presiding. 
Here the subject to be instructed, more than the edu- 
cational matter, should be considered. Therefore, in 
the conclusion of my several letters introductory to 
Child-education, I shall be highly pleased to direct 
the attention of your kind patrons to this topic: 

•Consider Whether You Have a Son or a Daughter to Educate! 

In matters of education it may be also said: "Each 
•one his own. ' ' Therefore parents should never forget 
whether they have a son or a daughter to educate. 
In the education of the son. in a certain measure, a 
•different course should be pursued than that em- 
ployed in the training of the daughter. Their differ- 
3 



34 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ence in physical and mental powers and their diver- 
gent callings later in life require this. The home of 
the boy shall sometime be the world and the home be 
to the girl, the world. 

The skeleton of the boy is more vigorous, his mus- 
cles stronger and his nerves in restraint-power greater 
than those of the girl. With her the physical as well 
as the mental development is more rapid than with 
him. The six-year girl is, mentally, as far advanced 
as the seven-year boy, and the twelve-year-old daugh- 
ter as far as the twenty-four-year-old son. 

With the boy the intellect predominates. The boy 
shows more taste for thought-work, thinks more ac- 
curately and more fundamentally, and because of 
this, there is a deeper penetration of the understand- 
ing. While on the other hand, with the girl, it is feel- 
ing that dominates. The girl is more compassionate 
and loves the after-feelings. For religious emotions 
and feelings her heart is more receptive. 

The boy, at once, lays hold of a thing more in its 
greatness and entirety. While the girl, on the con- 
trary, has a keen eye for the single and at the same 
time easily remains attached to the individual and 
allows herself to be influenced by it in judgment. The 
hoy first looks upon the affair, then upon the person. 
He learns toi love the subject-matter of instruction. 
because in later life he needs understanding and 
knowledge. Differently the girl. She sees first the 
person then the affair, and learns to love the person- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 35 

ality teaching. Diligence and eagerness to learn are 
generally greater with the girl than with the boy. Yet 
here often the incentives are vanity, ambition and 
sympathy for the teacher. Over against this the boy 
is more inclined than the girl to this danger to be- 
come possessed by a common-place reading and a pas- 
sionate addiction to play. 

The boy generally possesses a firmer nature and re- 
quires a more vigorous laying hold than the girl. He 
usually places less value upon the outward and the 
form. The observation of the finer commandments 
of deportment and good manners are to him burden- 
some. One must not, of him, exepct that he will per- 
mit himself to be easily affected, and that lie will even 
go about as well-mannered as the girl. 

The girl entreats and coaxes, while the boy defi- 
antly demands. The boy is bold and confident, shows 
wantonness and violent unrestraintness. The girl, on 
the contrary, is gentle, mild and shows more taste for 
-the elegant, decorous and fine. The boy wants to show 
his strength and prowess; lie destroys and likes to 
work, loves noisy plays. The girl, on the contrary, 
orderly, beautifully pleasant and sensible plays. 

The boy shows more independence, strength, perse- 
verance and a firmer feeling for right and truth. His 
nature and manner fully indicate that his future ac- 
tivity is determined for the outside world. While, on 
the other hand, the girl shows through the preponder- 
ance of the sense of feeling an inclination to the per- 



36 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

sonal, the future mother. The boy as the comiug man 
wants to do something, while the girl, as the future 
mother, desires to do something for someone. 

Father, mother, if you would avoid the commissiotn 
of serious and perhaps irreparable blunders in the 
education of your children, then observe carefully, 
as toi their difference in sex, and arrange your educa- 
tional measures accordingly. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



SERIES B. 

THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL-CHILB. 

LETTERS. 



"It is no exaggeration to say that health is a large 
ingredient in what the world calls talent. A man 
without it may be a giant in intellect, but his deeds 
will be the deeds of a dwarf. On the contrary, let 
him have a quick circulation, a good digestion, the 
bulk, thews and sinews of a man, and the alacrity, the 
thinking confidence inspired by thee, and, though 
having but a thimbleful of brains, he will either 
blunder upon success or set failure at defiance. ' ' 

— William Mathews. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 3^ 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret 



To the strong hand and strong head, the capacious 
lungs, vigorous frame, fall, and will always fall, the 
heavy burdens ; and where the heavy burdens fall, the 
great prizes fall too." 

The first element of success needed by him, who has 
wisely chosen his life-avocation, is constitutional vig- 
or. By this we mean the warmth and strength im- 
parted to one s ideas by a stout physical constitution. 
The body, as well as the mind, has rights that must 
be duly respected. If the mind which rules the body 
ever forgets itself so far as to trample 011 its slave, 
the slave will not forget the injury, but will rise and 
smite the oppressor. 

The book- worm, the sickly student may win prizes 
in school and lead his class. It is, however, the sin- 
ewy fellow who will win the most prizes in life; and 
that in every vocation, other things being equal, the 
most successful man will be the one who sleeps the 
soundest and digests the most dinners with the least 
difficulty. 

Parents, take this deeply to heart that the future 
economic and social problems of our country will be 
solved and her battles won in the home-garden and 
on the play-ground of the school. Therefore, that 
your son and daughter may take their places among 
the coming men and women of our beloved land, with 



40 TH>; SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Strong heads, mighty hands, capacious lungs and vig- 
orous frames : 

Provide for it, That Your Child Remains Well. 

This saying is universally accepted : ' 4 That only in 
a healthy body can dwell a sound mind." By this it 
is implied that we are in our mental efforts depend- 
ent upon the body. Of what worth is to the scholar 
his knowledge when bodily pains manifest themselves 
as soon as he makes a mental exertion ? Of what value 
is to the minister his gift of oratory if he becomes 
hoarse when he, for a short time, speaks? Of what use 
to the child its splendid talents if it is bloodless, pale, 
faint, weak and sickly, and dare not in the least, men 
tally exert itself? 

With the first school-day a new life begins for the 
child. Greater demands will be placed upon its body 
than before. Father, mother, you have here a duty, 
to provide for it that your child in these new relations 
remains well, that it retains its good appetite, that 
pure blood flows in its veins, that its cheeks and lips 
are red and fresh and its eyes clear, looking out into 
the world joyously and happily. 

Guard the health of your child as the apple of your 
eye. Seek to prevent sickness, for it is easier than 
to heal disea s es. An ounce of prevention is better 
than a pound of cure. There exists an inward connec- 
tion between the corporeal and the mental develop- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 41 

merit of the child. Careful investigation has con- 
firmed that children with vigorous bodies make better 
progress in school than those of the same age with less 
physical development. Only a school-child that is ro- 
bust in body and entirely healthful will unfcfld it- 
self vigorously, mentally and morally, will manifest a 
delight for labor and a cheerfulness in the perform- 
ance of its every task; will hopefully look into the 
future and sometime do its full duty and fill its place 
in life. 

Therefore, father and mother, consider the bodily 
care and schooling of your child as no insignificant 
or indifferent affair, but rather give to the same much 
time and the greatest attention, and make your own 
such rules and principles by which its health can be 
guarded and fostered. Listen to the following ex- 
hortation : "The stronger and mightier you wish the 
mind of our child, the more powerful make its body. " 

"For the soul the body form doth take, 
For soul is form, and doth the body make." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



42 r lHE SOHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

There is a common saying : ' ' What a man eats, that 
he is. 7 ' This aphorism applies tot the school-child in 
a higher measure than to the full-grown person, for 
this reason, since the nourishment during the time of 
rapid physical and mental development is of particu- 
lar importance. When with the child the nourish- 
ment and digestion are good, then will it be happy 
and cheerful, joyous in its labors and merry in its 
learning, therefore, parents: 

What and How Should Your Child Eat? 

We will endeavor to answer this question in the 
following ten rules, which we shall lay down for your 
observation : 

F.ule 1 — Let the nourishment be abundant- 

It is harmonious with nature's laws that a child dur- 
ing' its ageof school duties needs moire nourishment than 
a. full-grown person, since the individual bodily por- 
tions and organs are yet enlarging and completing 
themselves ; while on the contrary with the full-grown 
one the bodily activities are simply the expulsion of 
the waste material and to repair through the con- 
sumption of new matter. Also exercise and the live- 
liness of children has an influence upon their nour- 
ishing requirements. The boy who in the afternocm 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 43 

is running about, playing ball and romping, brings 
to the evening meal an entirety different appetite 
than his older brother, who spent the afternoon in the 
Toom reading. 

Rule 2 — Let the nourishment be nutritious and easily di- 
gested. 

The so-called "vigorous foods," the rich prepara- 
tions of milk, eggs and meat, one should avoid, giving 
preference to a vegetable diet. Since the principal 
bodily nourishment exists in vegetables, fruit, bread, 
milk and other faranacious foods. Sharply seasoned 
foods containing vinegar, pepper and mustard, are to 
be strictly avoided. They too strongly irritate the 
stomach and kidnej^s. Sweetmeats are allowable, hoiw- 
-ever only after a regular meal as a desert. In an 
•empty stomach they easily germinate fermentation. 

The child should enjoy three principal meals and 
two between lunches. Because of the active consump- 
tion of matter taking place in the child-body it should 
have provided a before and after noon between meal 
(<\ second breakfast and a supper). For the first 
breakfast the child should ordinarily eat sufficient, 
'Maying a good foundation." and this calmly, without 
hurrying, at least one-half hour prior to its departure 
for school. The breakfast should consist of white bread 
-and butter. Some cereal mush may be added and a 
drink. Until to the tenth year of the child's life the 
best and most natural drink is milk, since it contains 



44 *feB SCHOOL-CHILI). 

the three nourishing ingredients which the child-body - 
needs: Albumen, fat and sugar; and to this may be 
added salt. If the child shows an aversion for milk,, 
then give it to it mixed with malt coffee (barley roast- 
ed and ground). This is harmless, very mild and. 
tastes good. To hand to the child daily, for breakfast,., 
a drink made of the commercial coffee-bean is harmful 
and one must advise against it. The common coffee- 
contains an alkaloid called caffeine, Which is poison- 
ous, that readily in small quantities penetrates the 
heart and nerves of the child. According to the most 
recent investigations among children, o, og. of caffe- 
ine calls forth distinct, perceptible disturbances of* 
the heart. As consequences following the daily con- 
sumption of coffee there are manifest in children: 
Continual headaches, annoyances in the food-diges- 
tion, irregular heart-action and an inclination to at- 
tacks of dizziness. Mother, if your housekeeping- 
fund permits it, then sweeten the warm milk witlfr 
honey, the purest sweetening substance that nature- 
produces: it nourishes and warms and it strengthens^ 
the respiratory organs. 

The second breakfast, or forenoon lunch, carefully 
wrapped, which the child takes with it to school, may 
consist of crisp rolls or rye-bread well buttered and 
some kind of fruit. The most convenient for carrying 
as well as the most wholesome is the apple and fke 
©range. Neither strong meat nor sausage should "be- 
placed between the slices of bread. 






THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 45 

At noon the child should receive nourishing yet 
-simple homely fare. Soup, a little lean meat, fish and 
•an abundance of vegetables should form the principal 
portion of the diet. As a dessert it may enjoy fruit 
•oi* some light custard. For the vesper lunch the best 
is again milk or malt-coffee, and with this bread 
-spread with butter or honey. The supper may be 
naade up of milk or plain soup, a soft-boiled egg and 
fruit. 

With the school-child nqit as with the little child, 
"where the succulent foods should dominate, but on the 
•contrary the firmer foods that the teeth and digestive 
organs may be brought into activity and thereby be- 
come invigorated. Because of this it is commendable 
to hand to the child, at noon and evening, not white 
"bread, but on the contrary good rye-bread or Graham 
bread, not too fresh. 

Foods, hard to digest, such as smoked sausage, 
-strong cheese, saurkrout, mayonnaise dressing, etc., all 
foods that are strongly seasoned with pepper or vine- 
oar. Mnd all alcoholic and narcotic drinks, such as beer 
and wine, coffee and tea, the child must avoid. 

Jtule 3 — Do not give your child much meat to eat. 

In the morning children should receive no meat, 
and in the evening, as an exception, they ma} r receive 
a small quantity. The eating of much meat heats the 
blood, over-nourishes the nerves, over-excites the feel- 



46 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ings and begets an early precocity. Dr. Trump writes 
in his book, "The Mental and Bodily Care of 
Children of School-a^e Duties." "If one. however, 
desires to accustom the children unto a meat-diet, 
then give twice — the highest four times — weekly, a 
small piece as large as the palm of the child's hand.'' 

Rule 4 — Give your child plenty of vegetables and fruit to 
eat. 

An aphorism says: "Milk, fruit, bread color the 
children's cheeks red!" And this is true. The child 
beyond all measure loves fruit, and it follows thereby- 
a natural inclination. Yet when the child eats apples, 
pears, peaches, cherries, plums, etc., it should careful- 
ly before eating the fruit, wash it, thoroughly masti- 
cating the same, and eat with it some bread or crack- 
er, and be careful not to swallow the seeds. 

Rule 5 — Teacli your child to eat slowly and to well masti- 
cate. 

Just as important as toi what the child eats is the 
nature and manner as to how it eats. Father, moth- 
er, have upon this an observant eye, that the child ob- 
serves the first and most important law : of nourish- 
ment: "Well masticated is half digested !" The long- 
er it chews the morsel, the better will it be pulver- 
ized, insalivated and made digestible. A child that 
does not chew well its food harms itself in two ways : 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 47 

The teeth remain weak and soft and digestive dis- 
turbances will sooner or later manifest themselves. 
Time is required that food may be properly triturat- 
ed and insalivated. To take this the child must be 
necessarily constrained. It dare not get up too late 
in the morning. For then this may happen, that in 
order not to get to school late, it will, standing, gulp 
the hot milk or heated barley-coffee and hastily down 
the bread. In order that the child will be necessitated 
to chew, with its soups and soft vegetables oblige it 
to eat bread. Endure it noit that it soaks the bread or 
roll in its milk. The disadvantage of such a practice 
is that the food will not become properly insalivated 
and will lie in a mass in the stomach. Let it always 
be an interest of yours that your child at meal-time 
is cheerful and happy, then everything will agree 
much better with it. Seriousness and sombrousness 
are not only for grown people, particularly much less 
for children, poior table-companions. Pleasantness 
and cheerfulness on the contrary are agreeable guests. 
A eheerful face and a light heart are friends to long 
life, and nowhere do they serve us better than at the 
table. "Dr. Diet, Dr. Quiet and Dr. Merryman — have 
these three physicians in constant attention in your 
family. 

Rule 6 — Your child, as much as possible, eat its food dry. 

The salivation is here for this, to make slippery 
the food as it is being cut and ground by the teeth, 



48 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

that it may be easily swallowed. The child must not 
be dipping;, moisten, and with liquids wash down the 
food. Much nuidness (water, lemonade, thin soup) 
thin and Aveaken the gastric juice. 

Huel 7 — Your child partake its food neither too hot nor too 
cold. 

If the child drinks the milk or any other drink hot, 
if it eats soup or vegetables steaming, the membrane 
of the throat, yet far more also the delicate mucous 
membrane of the alimentary canal and stomach may 
be scalded and strongly overcharged with blood. 
Many a lingering 1 stomach-catarrh and vexatious di- 
gestive disorder is attributable to this taking of food 
and drink too hot. But equally as harmful also is 
it to pour down into the stomach ice-cold drinks. If 
the child is heated and has a burning thirst, then first 
it should oat a few bites, and then drink slowly, paus- 
ihii' between swallows. 

Hule 8 — Your child ought not to eat between meals. 

The child should at appointed hours regularly take 
in the meal-times and not spoil its appetite by irreg- 
ular lunching and with dainties such as candy and 
cakes. The time intervening each meal should be 
from 2i/> to 3 hours, giving the digestive organs ample 
time for the performance of their necessary func- 
tions. If the child in the morning at 7 o'clock takes 
its breakfast, it can then at 10 o'clock enjoy a simple 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 49 

lunch, and at high noon or at half-past one it can eat 
-a regular dinner, and at 4 o'clock its first light even- 
ing lunch. The evening meal (supper) deserves par- 
ticular consideration as to the character of the food 
-and the time for the partaking of the same. Avoid 
all heavy and indigestible foods for children, and the 
supper should be taken at least two hours before bed- 
time, so that, when the child betakes itself to rest, 
the digestive organs have already performed their 
principal work: then only is sleep restful and deep. 

Rule 9 — Oblige your child not to eat food, to it, unsavory. 

Who has not already somewhere in a family heard 
this remark: "Obliging children eat all things?" 
True, it can happen that a child may not eat a certain 
kind of food, while it does not taste good to it. This 
may not be an improper behavior. Under such circum- 
stances one must exercise judiciousness, tact and per- 
severance, placing often before it the dish until the de- 
sired purpose is attained, the child accustoming itself 
unto a taste for the same. But entirely otherwise is the 
matter if the aversion cannot be traced back to any 
capriciousness, but on the contrary to instinct, out of 
which a natural antipathy may arise. Dr. Scholz in- 
forms us in his book Character-training in Children: 
"I have known an entirely healthful and well tal- 
ented boy who ate everything excepting butter. In 
an attempt to force him he almost went into convul- 
4 



50 ™E school-child. 

sions. Others have a dislike for fatty foods, again 
others for sweet things. Therefore, it is extreme per- 
version to foirce children through severity and rough- 
ness to eat foods for which they have a natural abhor- 
rence, and cruel to place the same again and again be- 
fore them." 

Rule 10 — Accustom your child to daily bowel-defecation. 

The best time for this performance is in the morn- 
ing and evening — before going to school and after re- 
turning home from school. Also when the child feels 
no particular pressure, it should nevertheless make 
the attempt. The daily stool, two or more times, is 
for the health-preservation of the child of vital impor- 
tance. 

Too many times during school-hours timidity om. 
its part will cause it to hesitate to seek a few moments 
of an intermission, when feeling the necessity, and it 
may go for the day without a proper bowel -movement. 
Such irregularities lead to headaches and other phy- 
sical troubles. If the colon is properly defacated two 
or three times daily, the appetite of the child will 
take care of itself and its night-slumbers will be rest- 
ful and invigorating. 

Additional Information — How Pack and What to Place in a 
Basket Lunch. 

Tn our rural schools, as well as in many of our larg- 
er cities, many children are unable to go home at the 
noon hour for their mid-day meal, hence they are' 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 51 

obliged to carry the same with them toi school. This 
basket lunch is harder to prepare and to plan than 
the lunch at home, since there are so many foods that 
cannot be included in it, either because they cannot 
be conveniently packed or easily carried. This leaves 
fewer foods to choose from, and sc: extra care is need- 
ed, too, in the preparation of the foods that must be 
packed in a small compass and kept for several hours 
before being eaten and that must very often be carried 
over dusty reads. 

By the use of parafine and parchment paper, in 
which moist foods can be wrapped and thus prevent- 
ing them from sticking to other foods, and thus con- 
veniently carried. Paper cups, jelly glasses and so 
on are also a help, for in them sliced raw fruits. 
stewed fruits, custards, cottage cheese and other lia'f- 
solid foods can be carried. The quality of the bread 
used in a basket lunch is especially important, because 
it is commonly served in the form of sandwiches, and 
is. therefore, to be considered not only as food in it- 
self, but also as a means of keeping other much-needed 
foods in good and appetizing condition, and of serving' 
them in an attractive way. 

Many kinds of lunch-boxes, pails and baskets are 
on the market. The chief advantage of most boxes 
and pails is that they are made of metal and can 7 
therefore, be easily cleaned and scalded to keep them 
in a safe and good condition. Some boxes have the ad- 
vantage over pails that they can be folded when empty 
and-strapped with the school-books. Baskets can be eas- 



.V2 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ily ventilated, and for this reason are suitable for car- 
rying moist foods which are likely to spoil. There is 
no reason, however, why small holes cannot be punch- 
ed intoi the metal boxes or pails to let in the air. Pre- 
caution must be taken to keep foods clean and safe. 
In a dusty season they should be wrapped particu- 
larly well. In hot weather the use of soft, moist 
foods iii which molds and bacteria are most likely to 
grow rapidly should be avoided. 

Bills of Tare for the Basket Lunch. 

{1) Sandwiches with sliced tender meat filling; 
baked apples, cookies or a few lumps of sugar. (2) 
Sliced meat loaf or bean loaf ; bread and butter sand- 
wiches; stewed fruit; small frost cake. (3) Crisp 
rolls, hollowed out and filled with chopped meat or 
fish, moistened and seasoned or mixed with salad 
dressing; oranges, apples or a mixture of sliced fruits 
or berries; cake of seme kind. (4) Lettuce or celery 
sandwiches ; cup custard: jelly sandwiches. (5) Cot- 
tage cheese and chopped green pepper sandwiches; 
fruit: cake. (6) Hard-boiled eggs, crisp baking-pow- 
der biscuits, celery or radishes; brown sugar or maple 
sugar sandwiches. 7) Bottle of milk; thin corn bread 
and butter; dates; apples, (8) Raisen or nut bread 
and butter; eheese : oranges; maple sugar.. (9) Baked 
beans and lettuce sandwiches ; apple sauce; sweet 
chocolate. (10) Cheese sandwiches; fruit; cake or 
cookies. Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 53 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret: — 



Through the inventive genius of man and the de- 
velopment of applied scientific discoveries, steam, elec- 
tricity and labor-saving machinery, the more rapid 
transportation of the products of the field, loom and 
factory, the industrial conditions of our country have 
been completely revolutionized, and with these 
achievements and advancements the struggle for an 
existence has become more intense. 

To-day, in our economic history, competition is 
greater than ever before ; prof essional callings and 
all other industrial avocations are requiring more 
than simply a moderate union of physical and mental 
qualities to meet the strain. The great railroad sys- 
tems, the colossal manufacturing industries and finan- 
cial enterprises of to-day for management demand 
cool heads and clear brains. The words of Carlyle 
will indeed apply to this industrial age of our country 
in its vastness : "The race of life has become intense; 
the runners are treading upon each others' heels; 
woe to him who stops to tie his shoes." 

Patrons, that your child may go out from its home 
mentally, morally and physically well equipped, that 
it may be strong in habit and firm in character, that 
it may occupy a front place in the great bivouac of 
'life's battle, that it may take a highly honorable posi- 
tion in the deliberations of our country's civic and so^ 
-cial problems and discharge its citizen-duty, that it 



54 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

may have a clear brain, well-developed body and fine- 
ly balanced mind, declare a ban upon all spirituous 
beverages and never : 

Give Your Child to Drink Any Alcoholic Liquors, Nor 
Tobacco. 

Father, mother, all over oair beautiful land the boys 
are going out from their homes with laughter and song 
and no thought of the morrow. Some are taking their 
first drink of alcoholic liquor. Of these some will end 
in the gutter, some will be particularly handicapped 
in the ordinary affairs of life, some will end their 
days without any apparent ill effects from their indul- 
gence. But no one can tell which one of these care- 
free boys, coming from homes where existed the sweet- 
est and purest Christian environment, will fill a 
drunkard 's grave, which will meet social and financial 
ruin, which will bring sorrow to the family circle and 
forever blight the hopes of her whom he led to the 
altar of betrothal, or which will escape unscathed. 

Beloved parents, alcohol is no more a respecter of 
person than were the bullets and the shells of the bar- 
barous Huns fired into onr boys. Just as a general 
may be first to fall in battle, so may the man of high 
mental, moral or intellectual attainments be the first 
to fall a victim to the relentless grip of strong drink. 
Ah. yes, mother, the chaste daughter and noble son you 
are so carefully rearing, as they go out from your 
home, are not beyond the terrible clutching tentacles 
of this octopod. alcohol. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 55 

Not until we entirely eliminate from the great equa- 
tion of oul' ximerican life that which is a menace to 
our boys and girls, tot the happiness, security and pro- 
gress of the American nation and her free institu- 
tions, shall the health, wealth, happiness, home and 
prosperity of our country be fully assured. This is 
no idle statement based upon the desire to impress you 
with any prohibitory sentiment. But all is cold- 
blooded fact which no disputation can successfully 
controvert. 

Parents, one may think concerning alcoholic bever- 
ages for grown-ups whatsoever he wills ; but that chil- 
dren should absolutely avoid all kinds of alcoholic 
liquor the opinion is unanimous, both among educa- 
tors and physicians. All alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, 
rum. whiskey, brandy, cognac, etc.) contain a poisonous 
substance called alcohol. This poison is very particu- 
larly injurious to children, since all the organs and 
tissues of their bodies are yet tender and in the pro- 
cess of development. Children who receive to drink 
beer, wine or any other beverage containing alcohol 
lose their appetite, because alcohol retards and weak- 
ens digestion. And through the constant use of alco- 
holic liquors the growth of children is retarded. Al- 
cohol begets in children sleeplessness and nervous- 
ness. Further, the regular use of alcoholic drinks 
will diminish the resisting powers of the body against 
colds and diseace. Also it has been conclusively shown 
that with children whose bodies are weakened by alco- 



56 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

holie beverages the ravages of disease are greater and 
linger longer when afflicted, and that such children 
are more open to the attacks of after-complications,, 
such as inflammation of the lungs through measles, 
from heart- and kidney-disease, through scarlet fever 
and diphtheria. 

Alcohol also hinders the performing-power of the 
child ; making it weak, sleepy and idle, and during" 
recitations wandering and inattentive and makes- 
learning for the child difficult. This has been fully 
confirmed, that not only children, but young men as. 
well, who abstain entirely from the use of spirituous 
liquors make the best progress and the highest nota- 
tions in class. Also decidedly unfavorable is the ac- 
tion of alcoholic liquors upon the moral power of the 
child and upon its character. It tends to deteriorate 
the behavior of the child, making it deceitful, disobe- 
dient, stubborn, irritable, impatient and rough. 

The educators and physicias are unanimous in their 
attestations against the use of spirituous liquors 
among children, and as to its baneful effects upon 
them the following utterances amply verify: 

United States. 

"Alcohol should never be given to children." — Dt\ 
Frank Billings, Dean Rush Medical College, Chicago, 
Illinois. 

"It is universally admitted by medical men that 
alcohol in any form is deterious to the growing or- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 57 

gans." — Prof. John J. Able, M. D., Johns Hopkins 
Medical College, Baltimore, Md. 

"Alcohol diminishes the efficiency of the heart- 
muscles. "—Dr. Matthew Woods, Philadelphia, Pa. 

"Alcoholism is a physical, moral and spiritual dis- 
ease, and in any form whatever alcohol is injurious. 
There is no such thing as moderate drinking. All 
drinking: is excessive." — Dr. Howard A. Kelly, Bal- 
timore. Md. 

"It is time alcohol was banished from the medical 
armamentarium ; whiskey has killed thousands where 
it has cured one." — Dr. J. N. McCormack, Secretary 
Kentucky Board of He.alth. 

"Alcohol is a poison. It is claimed by some that 
aleohoil is food. If so, it is a poisonous food. " — Prof. 
Frederick Petersen, M. D., Columbia University Med- 
dical School, New York City. 

"Alcohol exhausts the latent energies of the organ- 
ism often when that power is most needed to conserve 
the failing strength of the body in the battle with dis- 
ease." — Dr. C. H. Hughs, St. Louis, Mo. 

England. 

"In noi form whatever should alcohol be used by 
the young, either in childhood or adolescence." — Sir 
Victor Horsley, Prof, of Pathology, University Col- 
lege, London. 

"From a medical point of view it would be difficult 
to imagine a more insidious and dangerous poison for 



58 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

infants and children than alcoholic liquor." — Medi- 
cal Press, London. 

"Whether in health or disease, alcohol is a direct 
and potent poison to children." — Dr. Knox Bond, 
Medical Times, London. 

"Children should be taught that abstinence is not 
fanaticism, but rational self-control in respect to some- 
thing which is fraught with untold risk." — Sir Thos. 
Barlow, Physician to the late King Edward. 

Trance. 

' ' Alcohol is the greatsst purveyor of human misery. 
It is one of the supremest factors in the world's suf- 
fering." — Br. Lncine Jacqnet, St. Antoine Hospital, 
Paris. 

Switzerland. 

"Parents often labor under the delusion that al- 
coholic drinks are good for children and act as a ton- 
ic. Mothers will put drops of brandy into the milk 
with which their children are fed, increasing the quan- 
tity with the age of the recipient. In the illness of 
children the same is given to meet disturbances of the 
stomach, or to increase growth and development, with- 
out taking the advice of any medical man as to the 
wisdom oif the practice. This is all erroneous. The 
excitement of the central nervous system under alco- 
holic stimulation, which seems to be relief to weari- 
ness and to give strength, is at best nothing more than 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 59 

temporary, and it is injurious, causing in fact symp- 
toms of alcoholic poisoning, abnormal excitement, end- 
ing in extreme cases in convulsions, succeeded by ex- 
haustion of body and mind, and inducing a kind of 
paralysis. Many cases of stomach and gastric catarrh 
in children followed by emaciation and debility are 
due to the early administration of alcoholic drinks; 
and impediment of growth from the same cause is 
tlierebj* produced. The most serious derangement is 
That of the nervous S3 r stem, to which is added the mor- 
al paralysis with which the habit of alcoholic drinking 
>mites its victims in the very springtime of life." — 
Professor Dume, Berne. 

Germany. 

*' Alcohol should never be given to children." — 
Prof. A. Strumpell. 

4 'To give a healthful child beer and wine is inex- 
cusable. The drinking of spirituous liquors exercises 
a harmful influence upon the corporal and mental 
unfolding of the child and bad habits are matured." 
* — Dr. Fielder, Dresden. 

"'Foir children alcoholic drinks are at all times of 
incalculable harm. Alcohol disturbs the development 
af both the mind and the body of the child agreeable 
to nature, at the same time it over-excites the brain:" 
— Dr. Kraepeline, Manheim. 

-''Each drop of alcohol is for the nerve life of the 
child poison. Away with alcohol at least until the 
"fifteenth year! It is disastrous to the understanding 



60 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

and apprehending power." — Dr. Fenchtivagner.. 
Frankfort. 

"Ah! sly deceiver! branded o'er and o'er, 
Yet still believed! exulting o'er thy works 
Of sober vows." 

Tobacco. 

Relative tot the nse of tobacco science also speak^- 
with no doubtful voice, and particularly as to its usg 
by growing boys. There is but one conviction that- 
experience emphatically asserts: Tobacco retards the 
development of the mind and body. The law of na- 
ture is that of steady growth. It cannot admit of daily,, 
even though it be merely a functional disturbance^, 
that weakens the digestion, that causes the heart to- 
labor excessively, that prevents the perfect oxidation 
of the blood, that interferes with the assimilation and 
disturbs the nervous system. Tobacco, like alcoJio^. 
stunts the sensibilities, and the young man who uses 
tobaceo deliberately diminishes his possibilities with- 
which he might commence the work of life. And 
cigarette smoking is especially injurious because of that 
irritable smoke caused by the burning of the paper- 
covering, the fumes of which are taken into the lungs. 
Edison says: "The burning of ordinary cigarette pa- 
per always prodnees aeroleine. That is what make> 
the smoke so irritating. T really believe that it often-- 
makes bovs insane." 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 61 

Father, mother, if you love your child and if you 
~rosh that it unfold itself physically and mentally, 
that it, in school, learns well and progresses happily, 
"that it behaves well and will become in character no- 
ble, that it will go out intoi life joyous, and that it 
will hopefully look into the future, then do not give 
it a single drop of wine, not a drop of whiskey, never 
allow it to taste any spirituous liquor of any kind 
whatever, and diligently guard it against the tobacco 
"Mbit ! Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



62 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

A good part of the health of a child and the cheer- 
fulness of its disposition, depends in a large measure 
upon the proper nature of the clothing it wears. Un- 
fortunately good taste and reason are not always the 
determining factors in the dressing of children, but 
on the contrary fashion and the inclination to imitate 
others. 

In the first place parental consideration should be 
to dress the child that it remains healthful, and, in 
the first, second and third place, observing that its 
carriage be graceful. Therefoire, patrons: 

How Should You Clothe Your Child? 

In an answer to this question we would place before 
you for your observation the following requirements : 

Requirement 1 — The clothing of your child should not b* 
narrow, on the contrary, wide and commo- 
dious. 

The clothes must not exercise any stronger pressure 
upon one portion of the body than another. They 
must nowhere be tight and should allow the child per- 
fect freedom of movement, so that it will feel itself 
at ease in "its skin." Above all the dress-port ions 
covering the child dare, not too tightly fit, in order 
that respiration may at all times be deep and free. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 63 

With boys the waistcoat, jacket or coat should not too 
snugly fit and. be closely buttoned up. The trouser- 
suppoirters dare not be worn so as to cross themselves 
over the chest. 

Girls under no circumstances should wear a corset. 
Anything more foolish or harmful to health cannot 
be thought of than this instrument of torture. 
Through tight lacing important organs of the body 
are mercilessly pressed together and hindered in their 
activity. The lungs cannot completely expand them- 
selves, deep respirations are impossible and they be- 
come contracted. The liver is pressed flat. The in- 
testines are crowded together. Mother, shall you be 
answerable for this, to harm the health of your daugh- 
ter in this horrible manner? 

Girls should not bind their skirts, but separately 
attach them to 1 a bodice that is provided with shoulder- 
supporters and buttons beneath. The weight of the 
clothing then rests partly upon the shoulders, partly 
upon the hips, and the delicate portions of the body 
are relieved as much as possible. Also girls must not 
wear stocking-supporters that tightly encircle the 
limbs below the knees, since by such a practice a pres- 
sure is exercised upon the blood-vessels, hindering the 
fiOAv of blood in the limbs; the proper nourishment of 
the museles and bones is prevented, and the develop- 
ment of varieole veins will be promoted. The stock- 
ings are best sustained by supporting bands attached 
to the bodice. 



64 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Strict attention must also be given to the dressing 
of the child's feet. The shoes must exactly fit. Since 
tlie foot of the child grows rapidly it needs oftener 
than a grown person a new pair of shoes. It should 
he observed that the footwear is neither too narrow 
nor too tight. The consequences from wearing tight 
and narrow shoes are ingrowing nails, corns and flat- 
footedness. There is a further disadvantage in wearing 
tight shoes, the circulation of the air about the feet 
will be prevented ; the result will be, in winter the feet 
will be less warmer and in summer hotter. The foot- 
wear ought to be made out of good leather in order to 
protect the feet from dampness and cold. Let the 
opening of the shoe be large. In the winter it is best 
that the child be provided with rubbers when it is wet 
and damp. That the feet can properly transpire and 
regularly expand themselves the child should in the 
house remove its shoes and wear commodious slippers. 
And it should also, as soon as climatic conditions will 
permit. £0 barefooted, since by so doing it will har- 
den its feet and make them less susceptible to the cold. 

Requirement 2 — Plainly and cleanly clothe your child. 

The excessively dressed child is unto itself as well 
as untoi others a torment. Children should be neatly 
and tastily, but not extravagantly dressed. Through 
tasteful clothing there is called forth in the child a 
pleasure in the beautiful, but through finery and tin- 
sel you will awaken vanity and coquetry. A girl 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 65 

should never make the impression that she is "dress- 
vain/' Waists and skirts should in themselves point 
out simplicity, and be made of materials that are dur- 
able and easily cleansed. Clothing in winter should 
keep the child warm, should repel the external cold 
and retain the heat of the body. In summer, to keep 
the child cool, it should not absorb the rays of the 
sun and should permit the passage of the heat of the 
body. At all seasons it should be porous, to give ready 
■escape to the perspiration and the admission of air 
to the skin. 

Light colored clothing are not only cooler in sum- 
mer, but warmer in winter. As the warmth of the 
clothing depends greatly on the amount of air con- 
tained in the fibers, fine, loose, porous cloth, with 
plenty of nap, is best for winter Avear. Firm and 
heavy goods are not necessarily the warmest. Two 
light woolen garments are warmer than one heavy 
one. as there is between them a layer of non-conduct- 
ing air. 

All the body except the head should be protected 
by clothing. Whatever fashion may dictate, no part 
covered to-day can be uncovered to-night or to-mor- 
row. It is most barbarous to leave the limbs of chil- 
dren unprotected, when adults would shiver at the 
very thought of exposure. Equally so is it for chil- 
dren toi be thinly clad for the purpose of inuring 
them, and particularly so the lower limbs of the 
tbody. To go shivering with cold is not the way to 
5 



66 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

increase the child's power of endurance. But on the 
contrary the system is made more vigorous by exercise 
and food; not by exposure. 

However, let the head-covering of the child be light. 
Allow, as well as encourage it, to go about much bare- 
headed. Its neck should always be bare. This will 
give to it a healthful ' ' sailor-neck, " and will save the 
child from many throat-affections. The neck-band 
should be sufficiently wide that one can conveniently 
pass with two fingers between the collar and the neck. 
Away with all furs and mufflers if } t ou want to make 
singers and orators ! 

Father, mother, if your child in each employment,, 
exercise and every play shall be obliged to think of 
this, to care and not toi soil its clothing, you take from 
it a large part of its freedom of movement and happi- 
ness. li Parents, there is nothing more senseless than 
when a child with its natural stirring-necessity and 
exercise-seeking inclinations will be forced to sit still, 
simply that the puffs and frills in its very fashionable 
dress may neither be soiled or fumbled." 

Twos writes: "Our four- to six-years-old one shall 
certainly not walk about as dirty as v a street-urchin, 
but a youngster who has rolled himself in the sand, 
or has upon his person the traces of a ramble through 
burdock and biclens, or the storm-swept dust from a 
tramp over not entirely clean streets, is always worth 
ten times more than the little dandy, with gloves, 
cane, pointed collar and agreeable dress, out of the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 67 

one something can yet become, out of the other noth- 
ing/' 

Parents, if in the first place the clothing of your 
child shall answer to the claims of health's require- 
ments, yon should also in this be considerate, that it 
be pleased and delighted with its garments. Wearing 
them with pleasure and feeling itself entirely at ease 
in its clothing. Here it is well to consider the child 
and as far as possible to carry out its wishes! This 
color pleases one child and another that, to the one this 
and to the other that taste. This is especially neces- 
sary, that it may receive them without feeling that 
it is forced unto their acceptance. If the garment 
improperly fits, if it is continually obliged to hide 
this or that defect or fault, then will it become sullen 
and irritable; but if on the contrary it has the' feeling 
to be well and neatly dressed, andto be pleased, then 
will it step forth securely and peacefully and unre- 
straintly exercise itself and be happy. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



fi$ THL' SCHOOL-CHIiiB. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Just as much as that children should have neat and 
well-fitting- clothing to wear, as that they should have 
books and periodicals for home-study and entertain- 
ment, as that they should have tools wherewith to gar- 
den and work, so also they should have a room in the 
home which they can call their own, and if your kind 
patrons are so situated in means and house-roiom that 
the}' can provide a separate room for their children 
in which they can freely play, romp, work and exercise 
"themselves, they should do it. In order that children 
-may get out of such room the greatest good and feel 
-content and agreeable in it, depends in a very large 
measure upon the manner in which the room is ar- 
ranged, furnished and the freedom in which they are 
permitted to enjoy the same. Therefore, parents: . 

How Should You Arrange the Children-Room? 

In giving an answer to this question we shall pre- 
sent the same in a few simple rules for your guidance. 

Rule 1 — Practically arrange the Children-room. 

Do not place therein too many pieces of furniture, 
in order that much free space remains. Select only 
such pieces that are simple and yet strong and solid 
and which have no sharp corners at which the child 
in stumbling may injure itself. Let the table stand 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 69^ 

in the centre of the room in order that it may be ap- 
proached from all sides. On the wall shelving 
should be placed, or a book-case may instead be con- 
veniently located in the room. The walls should be- 
decorated with a number of good pictures, with beau- 
tiful colored legends, with pictures of men and womeni 
celebrated in music, art and literature, men noted for 
their philanthropy, patriotism and devotion to hu- 
manity in the annals of cwr country, and beautiful' 
landscapes. In the ceiling there should be firmly fas- 
tened a trapeze, on which the child may execute all 
manner of gymnastic exercises. How many words of' 
reproach, how much vexation and chagrin shall be? 
spared, how much freer, livelier and .joyously the 
child can exercise itself in a room if it is simple ! 
Where no lace curtains and portiers are hanging r 
there none can be pulled down ; .where no cushions,, 
rugs and tapestries are lying, there none can be 
brought into disorder ; where no vases and statu- 
esques are standing, there none can be broken. 

Rule 2 — Keep the children-room free from dust. 

All dust must' be carefully removed ; children exer- 
cise themselves much and in a very lively manner,, 
and in their stirring activity continually whirl up the 
dust, which, becoming an admixture with the air they 
breathe, produces spells of coughing and is harmful 
to the lungs. The floors should be grooveless and 
daily wiped up with a moist cloth, in order that the 



70 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

dust may be removed and the atmosphere of the room 
improved. Neither carpets nor rugs should be laid 
upotn the floor, for in them dust will accumulate, 
which in each step upon them will fly upwards. 

Rule 3 — Permit to enter the children-room, as much as pos- 
sible, light, air and sunshine. 

Do not hang over the windows curtains, and least 
of all dark ones. Select for your children-room a 
bright wall-paper that will not absorb the light, and 
which will attune joyously the child-disposition. If 
the wall-paper and furniture fades, becomes weak and 
pale, doi not allow this to worry you, for in place of 
it you have the satisfactory joyousness that the cheeks 
of your beloved ones appear redder and fresher. 

"Wealth for which you know no measure; 
Pleasure high above all pleasure; 
G-ladness brimming over gladness; 
Sweetness distancing all sweetness; 
That's the health of your dear child— Mother!" 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 71 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

Sleep is as essential as food. During- the clay the 
process of tearing down goes on ; during the night the 
work of building up should make good the loss. In 
youth more sleep is needed than in old age, when na- 
ture makes few permanent repairs, and is content 
with temporary expedients. 

The night -sleep is the longest and most important 
pause that our body needs in order to remain health- 
ful. And very particularly is this the case with chil- 
dren. Old people are short sleepers, while on the con- 
trary young people sleep long. 

How and How Long Should Your Child Sleep? 

What parents should consider relative to the sleep- 
ing of their child we will endeavor to present in the 
following several observations : 

Observation 1 — The sleeping-room should he roomy and airy. 

Many parents see the children only as half -persons 
and think that they need only half as much light and 
air as grown ones, and consider the smallest and dark- 
est room good enough for the children's sleeping- 
room. This is a dangerous error. More than a third 
portion of the day a child spends in the sleeping-room. 
Whilst in the daytime it is once here, once there, stop- 
pine in the room, then in the open, never at one place 



72 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

for any length of time, thus also having continual 
changes of air, while at night it is forced to feed its 
lungs with the air of one and the same room. Since 
the child-body, during sleep, consumes far more air 
than in its wakened state, it should be provided that 
during the night there is a large air-supply. For this 
reason the sleeping-room dare not be small, since the 
air is the better the larger the quantity in the room. 
During the daytime the windows of the sleeping-room 
should be opened just as high and wide as possible. 
Durig the warm summer nights, properly screened, 
they can be left open all the time, providing the bed 
isn't standing in the draught directly from the open 
windows. In the winter season an open window at 
night is not to be encouraged, since children during 
sleep readily uncover themselves, thus easily taking: 
cold. 

But, not alone air, particularly also sunlight should 
be admitted into the sleeping-room of your child. "In- 
to where the sun gets the doctor seldom enters." No- 
better means for disinfection can be employed than 
sunlight. In a few moments it will kill all bacteria. 
It is entirely wrong to provide the child's sleeping- 
room with thick and dark curtains and through these 
to shut out the light. Flowers and other crowing 
plants should not be standing in the sleeping-room of 
the child, since plants during the night exhale car- 
bonic acid gas. Tn the winter the sleeping-room must 
not be too cold, nor dare it be too over-heated. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 73 

Observation 2 — The bed should be neither too hard nor too 
soft, neither too cold nor too warm 

It is not an indifferent matter as to how the child 
is bedded. The most healthful for underneath is a 
mattress of hair or sea-grass. An under-bedding of 
feathers is a detriment. In fainter the covering should 
be a soft woollen blanket, light and fleecy, and a com- 
forter; in summer, a wadded covering. Lean, pale, 
and bloodless children must be kept warmer than 
those whoi are well-nourished and vigorous. The sleep- 
ing garment of the child should be as light as possible, 
since the skin, when the body is lightly clad, displays 
a more regular skin-activity than when it is hidden 
in thick and narrow clothing. The pillow should be 
of such a height only that the body may not be hin- 
dered from occupying a fully out-stretched, horizontal 
position. The bed should never be standing close to 
a damp wall. The head-end always should stand in 
sneh a position to the windows in the room that the 
light will not directly strike the eyes of the sleeping 
ohild. 

Observation 3 — Your child should avoid before retiring ev- 
erything that may be a hindrance to an im- 
mediate falling asleep. 

The child should partake its supper at least one 
hour before going to bed. After this it should no 
more engage in the preparation of an}^ school-work, 
and not read anything strange or exciting, nor should 



74 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

any story be related to it of a weird nature. Its re- 
tirement should not be with an excited imagination or 
in a great mental strain. 

Observation 4 — Shorten not the sleep of your child. 

Not only the child, before school-duties begin, but 
also the school-child needs much sleep. Long, restful 
and deep sleep is for the fatigued brain the best re- 
storative and is the best preventive against excitement 
and nervousness. 

A school-child that is forcibly awakened in the morn- 
ing out of its sleep shows itself the entire day, in 
school, overly tired and enervated, inattentive, absent- 
minded and silly. To continue for any length of time 
to curtail the sleep of a child is almost as cruel as if 
one would not give to it sufficient to eat and drink. 
The deprivation of sleep works even as much harm as 
overwork. The matter is of such importance that 
medical associations have earnestly occupied them- 
selves in the consideration of the question as to how 
long school -children of different ages should sleep. 
These are the conclusions : Children 6 years old should 
sleep at least 12 hours ; 7 to 8 years, 11 hours ; 9 tot 11 
years, 10 hours ; 12 to 14 years, 9 to 10 hours. A rule, 
however, that will apply in all cases, there is none. 
If a child shows an entirely uncommon want for sleep, 
"this can have its foundation in abnormal physical 
conditions. Either the sleep-affected child is rapid- 
ly GTowiner, or it is suffering from bloodlessness (ane- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 75 

Tula), or its nervous system is in a state of particular 
iratigue and exhaustion" {Dr. Trumpp.) 

^Observation 5 — Your child must not get up too late. 

The child should so timely rise that it can wash 
satu-d. dress itself without haste and uneasiness, that it 
may conveniently eat its breakfast, pack its schotol- 
snaterial in quietness and in due time take its depart- 
*ire„ Above all it should have sufficient time in order 
£nat it may not become over-heated and take cold, 
.and that it enters not the school-room entirely out of 
%reath, and with highly reddened cheeks, and in the 
iirst few recitations not able to collect its thoughts 
in order that it may attentively follow the instruc- 
tions. 

Father, mother, rejoice if your child is a long sleep- 
er: for a deep, restful, dreamless sleep is a mark of 
isrood health. In the evening timely send the child to 
bed. in the winter earlier than in the summer. But 
in this be not entirely tooi exacting. Exceptions are 
•allowable. If your son, at times, after supper, yet 
with energy, with interest and pleasure sits with his 
task in English composition or problem in mathemat- 
isc, or if your daughter, two or three times before 
*Cliristmas deprives herself of two or more hours of 
isleep that she may finish her Christmas present for 
"mother, grandmother or sister, or when your 12- to 
14-vear-old child, during a birthdav anniversarv or a 



76 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Christmas celebration, retires to bed a few hours later- 
than usual, this will do no harm. The pleasure that 
centers itself in such hours is of inestimable worth to^ 
jour child. 

Observation 6 — As soon as your child wakens in the. 
morning it should leave its bed. 

It is easy to distinguish the firm, deep sleep from* 
that dozing and dreaming away of time in the morn- 
ing. The child should be encouraged, immediately 
after awakening, to leave its bed and wash itself- 
Otherwise it can become laz}~ and indolent and 
through the bed- warmth be misled into sexual errors^ 
Respectfully yours, 

ICHABOD CRANEL 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 77 

Sleepy Hollow. 
-Dear Margaret : — 

Parents who are considerate as to the health of their 
•child seek from little up to harden its body, to steel 
it, that it may be capacitated to resist disease. How- 
•ever, this body-inuring process must be pursued with 
"much care and circumspection in order that no harm 
may be done and that the best results may ensue. 

The earlier one begins with children this body-har- 
-dening and systematically and regularly follows it up, 
"the better it is. Montague, a keen judge and observer 
of the juvenile mind, says: "The only mean toi make 
out of the child a noble man is, in youth, to spare noth- 
ing. Teach your pupil to bear fatigue, cold, wind 
■ and sun, and to scorn danger. Disaccustom it from 
all softness and tenderness, accustom it to everything*. 
'Thus have T in youth, as man, as an old man 
-thought." 

How Shall You Inure Your Child? 

This question may be understood in a broader and 
a narrower sense. In the first place one may mean by 
it the invigoration of the whole body the entire mus- 
cular and nervous system, and in the second place it 
may simply signify an investment of the skin with the 
ability to speedily contract and expand, accommodat- 
ing itself to the different conditions of temperature, 
the changes in going from a warm to a cold room, and 
in the open to bear the changes of wind and weather. 



78 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

The means for the inuring of the child-body are- 
few, simple and easily applied. The observation of 
the following four rules will materially aid in the 
accomplishment of this end. 

Rule 1 — Do not too warmly dress your child. 

Do not mask the child ! Unfortunately the bad 
custom prevails to wrap up children late in the fall 
and during the winter in many and thick clothing, 
and as the cold increases, only adding moire and more. 
If the body is too warmly clad the air cannot suffi- 
ciently come in contact with it and the skin-evapora- 
tions cannot rapidly escape, and the result is. the sknti 
becomes tender. The clothing should be wide an© 
loose, and loosely fit. in oirder that between them and 
the skin a stream of air can be retained. The tighter 
the clothing, the easier will the child chill and take 
cold. 

Many mothers, as soon as the weather becomes some- 
what rough, pack the neck of the child in a thidk 
muffler or heavy furs and would thereby guard 
against coughs and hoarseness and inflammation of 
the salivary glands and tonsilitis. But the very oppo- 
site takes place. The neck-skin becomes tender anfi 
sensitive to the taking of cold. The skin of the neck 
permits itself, just as that of the face and hands, to 
become accustomed to the atmosphere. Therefore tfo? 
child should several times daily wash, not only tht 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 79 

face and hands, but also the breast and neck with cold 
fresh water, and the neck should always be bare. That 
this is good, the best proof for it are the sailors. The 
sailor's neck' with its weather-hardness has become 
proverbial. 

Many parents permit their children, following the 
dictates of fashion, during the coldest periods of the 
year, to go about with their shins and knees entirely 
bare. Against such a vicious practice one must ear- 
nestly warn. Since in the lower limbs of the body 
are lying large blood-vessels, and this exposure may 
lead to an over-measured cooling of the blood, result- 
ing many times in bloodlessness (anemia) and other 
diseases. 

Rule 2 — The child should daily bathe or sponge the whole 
body. 

It is not sufficient that the child daily washes face, 
hands and neck. It should accustom itself to a daily 
purification of the body from head to foot with luke- 
warm, water. The best time for this is in the evening 
just before retiring to bed. Besides this it should take 
at least once weekly a full cleansing bath. For chil- 
dren who are weak and bloodless the bathing of the 
body and feet in cold water should be avoided, since 
c~>ld water applied in large quantities to the skin ex- 
ercises too strong an irritation and draws too much 
warmth from the bod v. 



£0 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Hule 3 — Accustom the body of your child to the air. 

Air and sunlight are better mediums than water 
for body-inuring. An excellent means to accustom the 
body of the child unto the air, and for contributing 
unto it its beneficent influences, are air-baths. There- 
fore, permit your child, when possible, to take a daily 
air-bath; in the summer in the open and in winter 
in a closed room with an open window. The proper 
time for this is in the evening before going to bed and 
in the morning after getting up. In the winter per- 
mit the child, before going to bed, for a time toi run 
about in "Adam's costume," in a beforehand well 
aired and warmed room. In the morning it will suffice 
if the washing, combing, mouth and teeth cleaning, 
etc., take place in an unclad condition. But, how- 
ever, one precaution must be rigorously observed. As 
soon as the child shivers, the air-bath must cease; the 
whole body should be rubbed with the hand or by vig- 
orous gymnastics or quick exercise in the open air, 
seek to warm itself. 

This maxim of healthfulness : "Warm feet!" ap- 
plies also to children. Many parents observe it in 
this manlier, they pack the feet of the child in woollen 
stockings, warm shoes, cloth-lined rubbers and over- 
gaiters. In defiance of all this it has cold feet and gets 
sick as a foot becomes wet. The simplest and most nat- 
ural means against this is that the child throughout 
the whole summer be permitted to run about bare- 
footed. If, however, conditions and other considera- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 8X 

tions will not permit this and yon desire the feet of 
your child to come in contact with the air, then let 
it wear sandals. Parents, make the experiment! It 
means much for the well-being of your child! 

Rule 4 — Permit your child to exercise itself much in the 
open air. 

Many of the ills of children are traceable to the 
want of exercise in the open air. Children deprived 
of adequate out-door life are always delicate, pale and 
tender. Au inactive in-door life is one of the most 
effective ways for weakening the young body. It 
•causes its growth toi be unnaturally soft and tender, 
and thus susceptible to harm from the slightest cause. 
It hinders the garnering of strength necessary for 
a long life, and gives to the germs of disease a resist- 
less power over an organization so weak and defi- 
cient. 

Measles, scarlet fever and diphtheria find among 
such children a congenial soil, and run riot among 
the elements of the body held together by so frail a 
thread. Such children are always at the mercy of the 
weather. Coughs and colds are standard disor- 
ders in winter, headaches and habitual languor in 
summer. 

Every child should daily exercise itself at least one 
hour outdoors, and indeed at all times of the year 
and in all kinds of weather, in order to accustom the 
body toi cold, heat, wind, rain and snow. Every exer- 
cise in the fresh air, such as playing, swimming, bath- 
6 



82 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ing, hiking, coasting and skating, aids in bodily in- 
vigoration. 

Yet it must not remain unmentioned that only 
healthful children can become corporally inured, and 
that in each doubtful case the counsel of the physi- 
cian is to be heeded. This will, however, remain firm 
and true : A rational hardening of the body provides 
the best protection against colds and contagious dis- 
eases. 

Will-in vigorati on should also be associated with this 
body-inuring. The child must be made strong in 
will-power; it dare not show itself unflinching and 
peevish when at times a request remains unsatisfied; 
it should learn, voluntarily, to deny itself of certain 
things, as for example, tit-bits, that it may have re- 
ceived as a gift, not at once to eat them; it must also- 
learn to suppress feelings of pain ; it dare not in the 
slightest fall and bump murmur and show itself 
tender; it should wait and learn to contain itself and 
dare not become impatient and whimperish when 
something does not go according to its wish. Life is 
earnest and strenuous, and he, who as a child becomes 
accustomed to bear a thump, will not powerlessly 
crash together, helplessly and disc our agingly, when 
later puffs rain thicker, but on the contrary these will 
but add renewed vigor and perseverance unto his en- 
ergies and determination to succeed and to win out 

in life's battle. 

Respectfully yours, 

Tohabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 83 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret :- 



More and more general becomes the observation 
that ten to fourteen year old and still older boys and 
girls should not only take walks and take part in 
youths games, but alsoi that they should undertake 
hikes of half, whole and several clays. Every father 
should with his child, every year, udertake several ex- 
tensive excursions, and if dwelling in one of our large 
centers of population, he should take advantage of 
holidays, cheap excursion rates and picnics to take his 
child for an outing. In the living- and sleeping-room 
the child will become a shadow, a book-man. figura- 
tively speaking, like a sprig of vegetation in a dark 
hole, but in God's open air and beautiful nature, a 
sunny- and sense-man. 

But if father intends with his son to move with vig- 
orous steps out of the great city on a hike or an ex- 
cursion, he must not leave behind the daughter. But 
in a simple hiking outfit he must permit her to be at 
his side, to tramp through field and forest, over moun- 
tain and valley; for not only the mind wf the boy, 
no. also that of the °"irl. sha 1 ! become glorified through 
ramblings and nature's joys. Therefore, parents: 

Permit Your Child to Hike. 

The profit of hiking to the youth is of a twofold 
character, healthful and educational. In the first 



84 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

place, hiking- promotes the health of the child. Fresh 
air, clear sunshine and vigorous movement in walk- 
ing work mightily upon the body. The enduring of 
sun, wind, snow and rain inures it. Physically the 
consumption of matter becomes more lively. The mus- 
cles strengthened and the nerves invigorated. The eye 
learns to adapt itself to great distances and the ear 
to distinguish sound from afar. Notwithstanding the 
corporal demands the body increases in weight and 
vigor. 

Noi matter what the pastimes may he indulged in by 
the youth of our schools, hiking should never be omit- 
ted. The oars-man will become "stale" unless the 
method of exercise is varied; gymnastics will only de- 
velop the upper portions of the body, while the lower 
extremities will remain spindle-shanks, sot with the 
other forms of exercise; success in any form of game, 
sport or gymnastic cannot be attained unless walking 
be freely practiced. 

But also from an educational viewpoint hiking is of 
great worth. The child's circle of observation will be 
enlarged. Tts ideas become clearer. It gathers geoi- 
graphical, botanical, zoological, geological and historic 
information ; it makes an acquaintance with forest, 
field and plain and with the different species of plants 
and animals. No picture and no word-description 
brings so near to its heart the beauty oif the morning- 
sky, or an evening-sunset, and the deep stillness and 
rustic of the forest, than occasional hike. The child 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 85 

will become attached to its home, learn to treasure and 
love it. and it gains a measuring-scale for to accurately 
determine later excellencies and beauties of more dis- 
tant regions. 

Besides the soul, the heart also experiences a deep- 
ening incitation. The nature-sense will be awakened 
and cultivated. The child treads near toi nature and 
wins for it a greater affection. Its feelings will be 
come more serene and disposition more cheerful. Ros- 
egger, who understood the art of hiking as none other, 
writes: "There have been provided in my life many 
and diversified joys, but to the most beautiful and 
purest belong my hikes afoot." 

A further gain by such hikes is that the child ex- 
periences how to hike, it gains a knowledge of hiking 
and learns to delight in rambling. 

The equipment for a hike is simple. One must 
largely be governed in the making of any preparation 
for a hike by the time that shall be spent in the tramp, 
its character, the distance and the country to be trav- 
ersed. As a good weather-protector an inexpensive 
overcoat is necessary, sufficiently long that it will 
reach below the knees, or a good raincoat of equal 
length. Of particular importance is the foot-cover- 
ing. The stockings, the best are woollen ones, not too 
thin, and they should St the feet, as not to produce 
any wrinkles. The shoes should have broad, firm soles 
and straight heels, and should be well oiled before 
setting out. that they will be soft and pliable. A 



86 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

water-proof knapsack for carrying the linen, a pair of 
slippers for easing the feet in the resting-quarters, 
provisions and a hiking-diary. 

The child is a sun-creature and thrives best in the 
sunlight. Therefore, parents, joyfully go out with, 
your son and your daughter into God's free and hap- 
py nature ! And now, beloved boy, sweet girl, a hearty 
success tot you in your gladsome hiking! 

"There are notes of joy from the hang-bird and the wren, 
And the gossip of swallows through the sky; 
The ground squirrel gaily chirps by his den, 
And the wilding bee hurries merrily by. 

"There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower, 
There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree, 
There's a smile on the fruit and a smile on the flower 
And a laugh from the brook that runs to the sea. 

"And a look at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles 
On the dewy earth that smiles in his rays, 
On the leaping waters and gay young isles; 
Ay, look and he'll smile thy gloom away.*' 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 87 

Sleeps Hollow. 



Bear Margaret 



When the sun's rays warmly shine, then the neces- 
sity stirs every boy and girl to refresh the body 
through a cool bath in lake or river. Bathing in the 
open has this advantage over that of the indoor swim- 
ming pool: Light and air. How pure and quicken- 
ing the air over a water ! And what an acceptableness 
it is to place the nnde body under the invigorating 
influences of air and sun ! 

"Oh! the old swimmin'-hole! in the happy days of yore, 
When I list to lean about it on the old sickamore, 
Oh! it showed me a face in its warm sunny tide 
That gazed back at me so gay and glorified, 
It made me love myself, as I leaped to caress 
My shadow smilin' up at me with such tenderness. " 

Why Should Your Child Bathe, Swim, Coast and Skate? 
Bathing. 

Swimming, water-gymnastics, is the crown of all 
gymnic exercise in which }'outh can engage. None 
other exercise is like unto it in the furtherance of 
health. Swimming combines the advantage of the 
gymnastic art with a water application. It takes the 
whole body into consideration. It invigorates and 
steels it, it gives to it a resisting power against the tak- 
ing of severe colds. It expands the chest and forces 
the luno-s to deeper respirations and its outermost 



88 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

points are filled with pure air. It promotes an appe- 
tite, enhances the general state of health and produces 
a freshness for corporal and mental activity, also it 
promotes self-consciousness and a strength-feeling, 
therefore, permit your son, your daughter, timely 
where possible already in the seventh or eighth year r 
to learn to swim. 

Boys at school, when they take to river swimming,, 
often carry it to a dangerous, extent. They get into 
the water, now in, now out on the bank, sometimes re- 
maining for hours. This may take place day after 
day, and if the weather continues warm and the va- 
cation lasts long enough, the boy may reduce himself 
to the lowest ebb of feebleness and possibly develop 
the seeds of a latent disease. He may even die from 
the effects of this prolonged immersion and mad-cap 
exposure. 

Skating and Coasting. 

In the winter the most profitable exercise is skating 
and coasting. In skating especially all the muscles of 
the body are brought into activity in a pure, rich, 
oxygen-filled air. Because of the effort in standing, 
walking, to retain one's equilibrium, all the muscles 
particularly those of the lower limbs and also those of 
the arms and the chest-muscles must be brought into 
activity. The blood-circulation becomes more active, 
the respiration quicker and the digestion more vigor- 
ous, and the skin is filled with warm blood. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 89 

Father, mother, neglect not a single day in winter, 
when the pond is covered with ice and the ground with 
snow, to send your son, your daughter out either with 
skates or sled. To exercise upon the ice and to tumble 
in the snow is for youth the greatest pleasure and de- 
light. How the cheeks redden, how the eyes sparkle, 
how that self -consciousness is enhanced ! Let the winds 
blow about the ears and the snow-flakes be driven 
into the face; it affeest not the nimble skater nor the 
gleeful coaster! 

Father, mother, that your child while bathing in the 
open or skating on the pond or river may not meet 
with any accident or danger and not have any disad- 
vantages from this out-door recreation, let it carefully 
observe the following rules : 

1st — Bathe not if you are not feeling well. 

2d — Go not into the water when heated and your lungs are 

agitated. 
3d — Bathe not on an empty nor on a full stomach. 
4th — Do not begin bathing until there is a water-temper- 
ature of about 70 degrees. 
5th — Rush into the water and dive under. 
6th — Vigorously move about while in the water. 
7th — Leave the water as soon as you begin to shiver. 
8th — Remain not longer than twenty minutes in the water.* 
9th — After bathing take vigorous exercise. 
10th — Bathe not alone in solitary and strange waters. 
11th — In sea-bathing close up the openings of the ears with 

soft cotton. 
12th — Examine carefully the frozen pond or river as to 

the strength and safety of the ice. 



90 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

13th — Be cautious from taking cold by becoming over- 
heated and from subsequent inactive exposure. 

14th — Before beginning to skate the outer wraps should be 
laid aside and again put on when skating is fin- 
ished. 

*He, bathing too long, looses much bodily warmth and 
over-excites his nervous system. A time-standard, that will 
fit to each individual case, there isn't any. Very much de- 
pends upon the nature of the bathing and also upon the char- 
acter of the weather. We may, however, lay down this *jea- 
eral rule: The shorter the bath, the better its invigorating 
effects. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 91 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret :- 



In the economy of the human organization the 
Teeth play an important part. They are intended for 
This, to deliver to the stomach the food properly pre- 
pared. If this comes into the stomach only half mas- 
ticated, it does not willingly thus receive it, nor does 
it fully digest the same, and the harm is not then long 
to be waited for. Digestive disturbances, stomach and 
Internal suffering are the results. For this reason good 
teeth are as precious and valuable as pearls. Unfortu- 
nately, however, the suffering with teeth is very great 
both among the young and old. At least 95 out of 
-every 100 already in youth are afflicted with diseased 
teeth. 

Unlike the other portions of the body, there is no 
provision for any changes in the permanent teeth. 
Hard and indestructible as they seem, their perma- 
nency is only relative. Exposed to injury and disease, 
they crack and decay. Therefore, parents: 

How Should Your Child Care For Its Teeth? 

Children should be taught to daily brush their 
teeth bqrth morning and evening with tepid water and 
twice a week with white castile soap and powdered or- 
ris-root or with some dentrifice recommended by a re- 
sponsible dentist. They should also be instructed to 
remove particles of food from between the teeth after 
'each meal by means of a quill or wooden tooth-pick. 



*)2 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

The enamel onee injured is never restored, and tlie- 
whole interior of the tooth is exposed to decay. 

Father, mother, look into the mouth of your child, 
carefully examining and informing yourselves as to- 
the condition of its teeth. Permit, at least once a yeaa%_ 
a good dentist to carefully examine them, and timely 
permit small orifices to be properly filled, that fur- 
ther decay may be prevented, and have those roots re— 
moved that are beyond help. Above all things, insist 
upon it that your child carefully observes the foilloTr- 
ing five rules in the care and protection of its teeth : 

1st — Vigorously chew on both sides. 

2d — Take all foods and drinks neither too cold nor too hot.. 

3d — Attempt not the cracking of hard nuts, cherry-stones,, 
etc., nor to bite hard candy, threads or knots. 

4th — Do not pick the teeth with a metal tooth-pick, needle,., 
pin or fork. 

5th — Clean the teeth with a soft brush at least once each day,, 
the best time, in the evening before retiring if they re- 
ceive only one dally renovaton. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Craned 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 93 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Hear Margaret : — 

The senses are the portals through which the mind 
in the body collects. They are the conveyors of the 
""mental nourishment to the brain. But the sense-ac- 
Tiivities can only be proportionately good as these bod- 
ily organs, the eye and the ear, are healthful. 

"See how your beam of seeming white 
Is braided out of seven-hued light; 
Yet in those lucid globes no ray 
By any chance shall break astray. 
Hark, how the rolling surge of sound, 
Arches and spirals circling round, 
Wakes the hush'd spirit through thine ear 
With music it is heaven to hear." 

Your Child Care for Eye and Ear! 

The most important of all the sense-instrument-or- 
"gans is the eye. It surpasses all other sense-organs in 
ereranference and fineness of impression. It mediates 
impressions out of objects most close at hand and the 
greatest distance, and discloses to us that eternal 
world of colors and forms. Since it conveys to the 
brain the most perceptive material, it has been called 
the educator of the brain. Early in the life of the 
child should be developed the ability to truly see 
things, not simply to glance at them. Ruskin says: 
''That when a child, he cultivated his mind principal- 
ly through this, that he clearlv observed tilings, such 



94 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

as birds, insects and animals, trees and flowers, moun- 
tains and rivers, the rising and the setting of the sun 
and the moon." The eye because of its vital impor- 
tance requires particular care. 

The ear is exposed to fewer dangers than the eye. 
Yet in defiance of this the number is exceedingly 
large who do not normally hear out of one or both 
ears. Out of the examination of nearly 6000 school- 
children in the city of Stuttgart it was discovered 
that out of every 100, 30 were afflicted with deafness.. 
Coild water should never bo permitted to enter the au- 
ditory canal ; nor should the hair around the ear be 
left wet, as it may chill this sensitive organ. 

Father, mother, never box the ears of your child! 
Observe carefnlly that your child diligently avoids 
that which may endanger and harm the ear. and that 
it attentively observes the following rules: 

1st — So seat yourself with your work that you receive the 

light from the left side or from the rear; never from, 

the front. 
2d — Do not read, write, sew and knit during twilight nor 

with a flickering, dazzling or an indifferent light. 
3d — Hold, during reading, the hook, in writing, the tahlet, 

in sewing or crocheting, the work, distant from the eye 

ahout 18 inches. 
4th — Do not read while walking, riding, lying and when 

eating. 
5th — Do not read hooks of very fine print. 
6th — Favor the strained eyes with a rest-pause through a 
look in the distance or upon the green. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 95 

7th. — Frequently wash the eyes with fresh water, particu- 
larly then when you have "been detained any time in a 
smoky, dusty or damp room. 

8th — Dust, sand, cinder, insects, etc., are not to be removed 
from the eye by rubbing, this only irritates and in- 
creases the sensitiveness, but in the following manner, 
by gently holding the upper lid, then gently rubbing 
with the forefinger from temple to nose, or by holding 
shut the eye for a few moments, so as to allow the tears 
to accumulate, and then the upper lid be lifted by tak- 
ing hold of it in the center, the dust or cinder is often 
washed away at once. 

9th — Remove from time to time the wax from the external 
ear, this is best done by pouring into the ear a little 
warm water, after which turn the head to let the water 
run out, then wipe dry the ear. 

10th — Never bore into the ear with any pointed instrument, 
such as pin, crochet-needle or tooth-pick. 

11th — Avoid all direct draughts in the ear, never sit or ride 
with the ear exposed to the wind nor permit any sleet 
.or rain to drive into it. 

12th — If any insect gets into the external ear, then bend 
the head to the opposite side, pour in a little oil to 
kill it, and then wash it out with tepid water. 

Respectfully yoiurs, 

Ichabod Crane. 



96 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

The body needs food, clothing, sunshine, bathing 
and drink ; but none of these wants are so pressing as 
that of air. The other demands may be met by occa- 
sional supplies, but air must be furnished every mo- 
ment or death will immediately ensue. Pure air, rich 
in oxygen, is for every person and yet in the highest 
measure more important foir the child than eating and 
drinking. In order that good, pure air in sufficient 
quantity be transmitted into the body of the child it 
is necessary that its respiratory organs be vigorous 
and healthful : The nose, mouth, larnyx, trachea 
(windpipe) and lungs. 

' ' The smooth soft air with pulse-like waves 
Flows murmuring' through its hidden caves, 
Whose streams of brightening purple rush, 
Fired with a new and livelier rush, 
While all their burden of decay 
The ebbing current steals away. " 

Father, mother : 

Your Child Care for the Respiratory Organs! 

In breathing an important role is played by the 
the noise. It is the watchman at the gate. Its pro- 
vince is to purify, to warm and to moisten the air 
prior to inhaling it, and to sift from it, more or less, 
the material impurities with which the atmosphere 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 97 

of the house, shop and school-room may be ladened. 
Purthermoire, through the nose one experiences 
whether the air is pure or contains matter that does 
not belong to it. The nose is also a good filtering ap- 
paratus. In the mucus, which the mucous membrane 
secretes, and the fine hair and fibre with which it is 
lined, the dust and bacilli remain hanging. During 
rough and cold weather the air on its way through 
the nose is warmed and moistened. Because of these 
important facts it is of consequence to deeply impress 
upon the mind of the child, as the first and most 
vital respiratory rule, this maxim: "Breathe through 
the nose!" If the child habitually breathes through 
its nose it will not readily take cold nor be afflicted 
with coughing spells; there will be less swelling of 
^the parotid glands and the throat and the windpipe 
will become less frequently inflamed than when 
Dreathing through the mouth. 

Father, moither, if you observe that in your child 
nose-breathing is hindered, that it continually sits 
with an open mouth and does not close it while sleep- 
ing, and as it is popularly expressed, talks through 
its nose, then do not take this indifferently, but on 
the contrary at once call into counsel an experienced 
physician. 

Children, whoise nose-breathing is hindered, suffer 
■continually pressure about the forehead, which in re- 
flection and learning passes into a headache, because 
upon the mucous membrane of the nose swellings 
7 



98 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

(polipi), intumescenes and inflammations have form- 
ed, or because upon the jugluar glands exhuberances 
have arisen. Besides pain of the eyes enters, accom- 
panied with scintillations before them and deafness. 

Children whci are thns suffering lose the power to- 
direct their attention upon one fixed subject and to- 
labor continuously, mentally, and further the conse- 
quence is, in learning they remain behind. Very 
worthy of being taken to heart both by parents and 
teacher is what Dr. Bresger in his little book writes 
" Concerning the Nose-breathing Hindrances of 
School-children: "Such children, to whom mostly 
from all sides injustice happens, because their trouble 
is not known or observed, uncommonly mentally suf- 
fer under the constant reproach for indolence and in- 
attention, which they naturally feel as unjust." 

Father, mother, in order that the respiratory organs* 
of your child may become right vigorous and strongly 
empowered for the resistance of disease, then firmly 
insist upon its observation of the following rules : 

1st — Breathe with a closed mouth. 

2d — Air diligently living- and sleeping-rooms. 

3d — Work in summer with open windows. 

4th — In each intermission go out on the school-grounds and 
there exercise as much as possible. 

5th — In reading, writing and drawing do not prop the chest 
against anything. 

6th — In walking, hold the head erect, thrust the chest for- 
ward and the shoulders backward. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 99 

7th — Inure the neck and chest through cold bathing and 

vigorous rubbing. 
8th — Gargle both morning and evening with fresh water. 
9th — In summer keep bare the neck and in winter only 

loosely clad. 
10th — Speak not, as you come out from a warm room into 

the cold air. 
11th — Exercise much in forest- and mountain air. 
12th — In the taking of your pleasure-walks place you^ 

hands upon your back. 
13th — Daily take breathing-exercises in the open. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichaboi* Crane, 



100 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

SiLEEPY IIOLT.OW. 

Dear Margaret : — 

Most civilized communities liave enacted laws 
against the employment of children in severe physi- 
cal labor. This is well enough, for the muscles of a 
'young person are tender and weak, to which cupidity 
or ignorance would otherwise subject them. There are 
no laws to prevent the undeveloped nervous system 
being overtasked and brought to disease, or even ab- 
solute destruction. Every physician sees cases of the 
kind, and wonders how parents of intelligence can 
be so: blind to the welfare of their offspring as to force 
or even allow their brains to be worked to a degree 
that, in many cases, results in idiocy or death. The 
period of early childhood, say np to seven or eight 
years of age, is that during which the brains and other 
parts of the nervous system are most a-etively devel- 
oping in order to fit them for the groat work of life 
before them. 

"Mark then the cloven sphere that holds 
All thoughts in its mysterious folds, 
That feels sensation's faintest thrill • 
And flashes forth the sovereign will; 
Think on the stormy world that dwells 
Lock'd in its dim and clustering cells; 
The lightning gleams of power it sheds 
Along its hollow, glassy threads!" 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 101 

Father, mother: 

What Shall You Do That Your Child Will Not Become 
Nervous? 

No affliction is today so general as nervousness. Un- 
fortunately it is frequently found among children. 
Especially is the number of nervous school-children 
already a pretty large one, and is alarmingly increas- 
ing from year to year. 

You will know nervous school-children by the fol- 
lowing observations : They are easily excited and hasty 
in their movements; it is difficult for them to hold 
still and in sitting are constantly changing position; 
they are terrified at a dark room ; suddenly start at 
any noise, in speaking are over-hasty, even almost 
stuttering, are extremely reserved and timid, and con- 
tradict and show themselves refractory ; they, in writ- 
ing, make the letters sometimes small, then large, 
sometimes close together, then far apart, sometimes 
below the line, then again above; their attention sud- 
denly gives way and for them to collect their thoughts 
is difficult, and after a little mental labor become af- 
flioted with headache. Nervous children have no 
healthful, deep and restful sleep. It is difficult for 
thorn to fall asleep, and they are disturbed by dreams, 
-often awakening in fright, and in the morning do not 
feel themselves strengthened, on the contrary tired. 

Many -children have inherited their nervousness 
either from the father or ihe mother or from both. 



102 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

According to the investigations of Dr. Eulenberg, 10 
per cent, of all tlie children afflicted with nervousness, 
it is inherited. 

However, in far the larger instances the cause of 
nervousness in children has its origin through faults 
and ignorance in the corporal, mental and moral train- 
ing. This kind of nervousness, by a rigid, yet affec- 
tionate handling, can be cured in a comparatively 
short time. 

Parents, invigorate the nerves of your child, capa- 
citate them unto the resistance of disease. Do not 
wait too long with this, not until a nervous weakness 
shows itself ! Prevention is better than cure. There are 
five main points which you should carefully observe, 
namely: Nourishment, clothing, bodily enurement, 
a proper distribution of recreation, labor and study. 

Rules and regulations for the prevention and cure 
of nervousness in children : . 

Rule 1 — Conformably nourish your child. 

Next to a parentally inherited nervousness is that 
caused in children by a false nourishment. If you 
notice in your child any symptoms of a nervous dis- 
order, then in the first place be observant that its 
means of bodily nourishment be at once bettered. 
Circumscribe the eating of meat moire than you would 
that of a healthful child. Permit farinacious foods, 
such as butter, vegetables and fruits to form the prin- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 103 

cipal foundation of its diet. The best brain- and 
nerve-food is oat-meal. All the so-called restoratives, 
as vigorous eating, "strong wine" are to be strictly 
avoided. 

Rule 2 — Never hand to your child alcoholic and other sharply- 
seasoned foods. 

Beer and wine, coffee and tea are for the child 
nerve-poisons. All meat-gravies and salted vinegar- 
soured and peppered foods strictly avoid. 

Rule 3 — Accustom your child to daily bodily exercise. 

To this in the first place belong pleasure-walks and 
playing in the open air. Nervous children, however, 
dare not undertake too long a pleasure-trip, and must 
take great care not to overdo themselves in their 
sports. They should not exert themselves until they 
become fatigued. 

Rule 4 — Permit \our child to sleep long. 

While the child sleeps, brain and nerves are rest- 
ing and the fatigue-producing matter is expelled. If 
your child is nervous, then favor it besides its night's 
rest also with an after-dinner nap of an hour to one 
and one-half hours. 

Rule 5 — Inure your child. 

Cause its skin by washing and through sun- and air- 
baths to be made as much as possible non-sensitive 



104 THE SCHOOL-CHILD,. 

to the influences of the weather and the changes of 
temperature. However, guard yourself against faulty 
inuring rules. If yorur child is nervous, then do not 
a PPly c °ld baths, but take tepid water. 

Rule 6 — Guard your child against mental over-exertion. 

Against this rule, because of an inordinate ambi- 
tion and indiscretion, many sins are committed on the 
part of parents. Here is a boy whose talents are not 
sufficient^ far-reaching for the mastery of the stud- 
ies in the curriculum of some higher school, but out 
of vanity and because the pocket-book is large enough 
a literary pursuit is determined for him. Since he 
cannot get along in school with his studies and is en- 
tirely unable to work out properly his home school- 
labors, he must receive private instructions and far 
into the night he must assiduously labor in his strug- 
gles to kepp abreast with the rest of his class. There 
is no time left to him for recreation and pleasure- 
walks. Here is a girl with a frail bodily frame and 
delicate health. According to the will of the par- 
ents she must, in defiance of her mental and corporal 
inabilities, notwithstanding, study French and Latin, 
and also in addition take instructions in music. One 
is here not at all surprised when such children in de- 
fiance of iron-tincture and other body- and blood- 
nourishing means, that they become pale and paler 
and in a high degree nervous. 



THE SCHOOL -CHILD. 105 

Rule 7 — Sparc your child after a severe illness. 

Particularly is this necessary after diseases which 
have severely affected the centers of the nervous sys- 
tem, such as typhoid fever and diphtheria. 

Rule 8 — Accustom your child unto regularity. 

A strictly regulated even life, a life without hurry, 
without commotion and excitement, a strict division 
of time for the performance of everything, a period 
wherein to labor, to eat, for recreation and for sleep- 
ing is the best safeguard against nervousness. Because 
of this the various hours of recitation, recreation, 
study, etc., in a boarding-school, where everything 
goes according to the clock and the clock's striking, 
has upon nervously inclined children an efficacious 
effect. 

Rule 9 — Dispose your child to he cheerful and happy. 

"Nothing strengthens the nerves so much." says 
Elliot, "than the feeling of happiness." Cheerful- 
ness is for the nervous child the best medicine and 
operates upon its mental activities like oil on a ma- 
chine. Through good, sprightly humor no child has 
ever been made sicker, but thousands have been made 
well. Tf you seek a summer coolness for the strengthen- 
ing of the nerves of your child, then select a place that 
is isolated. The feeling of light-minded cheerfulness 
is better cultivated in the stillness and tranquility of 



106 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

the country than in the hurry and bustle and the 
noise of the great city. 

Permit, parents, an emphasis of the following admo- 
nitions, first: Never in the presence of your child, 
that is nervous, speak of its disease. For by so doings 
yoAi will only aggravate the suffering. The child will 
become discouraged and despondent and lose the last 
remains of self-control and cheerfulness. Second: 
Complete freedom from all mental employment often 
will produce an entire cure. Third: Sometimes ner- 
vous disorders are cured in the following manner, by 
giving the child into strange hands. This is particu- 
larly recommended if the mother of the child is a 
nervous creature. 

Respectfully yours, 

Tchabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 107 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret 



D l 



Nature's laws are inviolable and she is very ex- 
acting in her demands and prompt in the application 
of the penalty for any violation. Children generally 
are ignorant and inexperienced as to these laws, and 
at times also injudicious, eating hastily as well as hur- 
riedly, and many times green fruit and unwholesome 
food, then again exercising themselves until they be- 
come overheated; the consequences are, they become 
unwell. 

How many times trouble to the teacher and annoy- 
ances to the child would be avoided and the relation 
between pupil and teacher remain unmarred and 
complicated diseases nipped in their inception, if par- 
ents were moire observant relative to these complaints 
of their school-going child, and carefully investigate 
the same, as to whether their child is physically fit 
or unfit for the school-room, and perhaps more in 
need of the attention of a physician than that of an 
instructor. 

Do Not Send Your Child to School When it is Not Feeling 

Well! 

Father, moither, if your child is unwell, then it is 
unfit for the instructions of the class-room ; for how 
can it follow these, how can it be mentally active, if 
it has a headache, pain in the throat or bowels? Be- 



108 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

cause of this, it can happen that children who are not 
feeling well in school are stricken with apprehension,, 
fearing to be blamed for inattention, idleness and in- 
dolence. Also it can easily happen that the teacher- 
may sharply reprimand a child or even punish it, that 
shows inattention, while it is unwell, of which he has- 
no knowledge. The child will feel that it has beei* 
treated unjustly, and this has a prejudicial effect 
upon its feelings and relations towards the teacher .- 
it mars that love and trust of the child towards him. 

Parents, ask yourselves, when your child feels un- 
well, whether perhaps some disease is not developing^ 
Disease symptoms are : It has no desire toi study an<jt 
no delight for playing; it speaks little and weakly;: 
at night, during sleep, it is very restless and is 
drowsy during the daytime; it complains with pains- 
in the head ; it breathes throiugh the mouth, while' 
sleeping it snores, its pulse is irregular. Amid such 
indications it will be well for you, father, to at once- 
look for your hat and without delay to call in the doc- 
tor and to listen to his counsel. Through timely inter- 
positions severe sickness may be guarded against anc? 
great harm shall be averted. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 109 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Microscopic investigation lias revealed throughout 
nature, in the air, in the water — especially where it 
•contains organic matter — and even within the bodies 
of persons and animals, numerous infinitesimal active 
organisms, which live, multiply and die in endless suc- 
cession. These have been named bacteria (bacterium, 
a rod, so called from its general rod-shape) and also 
■microbes (microbe, a small living object). These seeds 
■or spores of bacteria floating in the air we breathe oil* 
in the water we drink are taken into the body and un- 
der conditions favorable to their growth they develop, 
multiply, and each after its own special species pro- 
luces destructive results. Hence a few intelligent 
t'acts for the enlightenment of your patrons, that may 
•enable them to detect as well as to combat these bacter- 
ial complications, which may attack their school attend- 
ing children. 

What Should Parents Know About Contagious Diseases of 
School-Children? 

The constant living together of children in the 
-$chool-roorm favors the transmission of infectious dis- 
eases through microbes floating in the air and water, 
and attached to books, wearing apparel and other ar- 
ticles, which enter through the lungs, the intestines 
or the skin into the bod}' and if the physical condi- 



HO THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

tions are susceptible to their reception, they will call 
forth disease. The most common of these infections 
communicable diseases among children of school-age 
are: 

Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping-Cough, Mumps 
and Chickenpox. 

Measles. 

Measles are a very frequently occurring contagious 
disease communicated from child to child, which par- 
ticularly takes place during school-age duties. One 
attack, however, practically protects the child from 
another, yet, on the other hand, second attacks occur 
with extreme rarity. It is more contagious than scar- 
let fever, the germs, however, causing measles perish 
rapidly, so that infected cloths or other objects merely 
require a thorough airing to be rendered safe, whereas 
in scarlet fever the danger of the transmission of the 
contagion may lurk in the infected clothing and other 
substances for weeks, unless they are subjected to a 
thorough disinfection. 

Symptoms. 

After the infection 10 to 14 days may pass before 
there will appear amid a moderate fever a skin-erup- 
tion in form regular round and somewhat elevated 
red blotches. The eruption will be first noticed behind 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. m 

the ears, then will it appear upon the face, rapidly in 
succession spreading over neck, chest and back, arms 
and legs, and will stand in full bloom one and one- 
half to two days. At the same time catarrhal troubles 
of the throat appear to increase. The e}*es redden 
and are watery, the nose runs, the throat is irritable, 
red and sore, and there is some cough and chilliness 
and muscular soreness. As soon as the infection has 
reached its highest stage, the fever abates, the blotches 
pale and the outer skin peels off; this is termed dis- 
quamination. Measly afflicted children must be kept 
warm, placed in bed in a darkened, well ventilated 
room, at a temperature of from 65 to 70 degrees P. 
The bowels should be kept regular by soapsuds injec- 
tions or by mild cathartics, as Seidlitz powders. If 
the fever is over 103 degrees F. and is accompanied 
with much distress and restlessness, the child may be 
sponged with tepid water. When the cough is inces- 
sant and the rash does not come out well, there is noth- 
ing better than hot-pack. 

The patient should be in bed 10 days and should not 
be considered well until four weeks after th e break- 
ing out. The principal danger after an attack is lung 
trouble — pneumonia or tuberculosis (consumption), 
and the greatest care should be exercised toi avoid ex- 
posure to wet and cold draughts. The nourishment 
should be such as not to irritate the bowels. 



112 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Scarlet Fever. 

Scarlet fever is regarded, by the informed, as one 
of the most dreaded disases of children, not only be- 
cause an attach may be so malignant as to cause death 
in a short time, but also of its high degree of infec- 
tiousness, the many and grave complications with 
which it may be attended, and because the hope of re- 
covery, even in cases apparently mild in the outset, 
has proved too often illusory. 

Symptoms. 

Scarlet fever begins generally within four to five 
days following the infection, and with severe, alarm- 
ing' appearances. We can distinguish three well-mark- 
ed stages in the course of the attack of this most ma- 
lignant disease among children : 

1st, The Period of Invasion; 2d, The Period of Eruption; 
3d, The Period of Disctuamination or Peeling-off. 

The Period of Invasion. 

The disease strikes suddenly. A child hitherto ap- 
parently in the best of health is seized with chilliness, 
fever, which will rapidly rise, and very often with 
vomiting and headache, the skin feels unusually hot 
and dry to the touch,, the tongue is furred, the throat 
parched, the face flushed and somewhat bloated. 
Tough and running nose are unusual. This stage us- 
ually last 24 to 36 hours. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. J13 

The Period of Eruption. 

Within 24 hours after the symptoms of the disease 's 
invasion there appears upon the neck, the chest, later 
upon the face, and finally upon the whole body a uni- 
form breaking-out, which in its fullest development 
has the appearance of a red raspberry or boiled lobster 
and the tongue will also have the same raspberry red 
ness iu color. It spreads very rapidly, so that by the 
evening of the second day the entire body may be cov- 
ered. In some cases the rash is patchy instead of uni- 
form, with islands of normal skin. At other times 
tiny elevated patches appear, as in measles, but this 
is not common as in the latter case. In malignant 
attacks bleeding may take place in the skin, causing 
large purplish patches. After persisting at its 
height for two or three days the rash gradually fades, 
the fading being accompanied by a progressive fall of 
the fever. The rash will, however, be more marked 
on the inner surfaces of the arms and legs and where 
."joints make folds of the skin, as in the groins and el- 
bows. 

The Period of Disquamination (Peeling-off ) . 

With the fading of the eruption and the falling of 
the fever' the skin looks stained and feels rough. 
Oradually its outer layers begin to be thrown off. 

The process usually begins about the neck and chest. 
The amount of peeling usually bears some relation 
8 



114 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

to the previous intensity of the rash. When this has 
been virile and its duration prolonged, large flakes 
and patches come away. On the other hand, with 
milder eruptions the peeling may be much less mark- 
ed, consisting of bran-like particles only. 

Complications of Scarlet Fever. 

Scarlet fever is distinguished by the variety and 
severity of its complications, which may develop in 
cases apparently mild at the outset. The most common 
of these are inflammation of the kidnej r s (nephritis),, 
disease of the middle ear, inflammation of the lymph 
glands (adenitis), inflammation of the lining mem- 
brane of the heart (endocardities) and joint affections. 
Of these, nephritis and ear complications are by far 
the most common. 

Father, mother, scarlet fever is one of the most ma- 
lignant diseases that can attack your child. As soon 
as in the child the slightest suspicious symptoms mani- 
fest themselves of its probable presence, isolate the 
child and at once call in the family physician for 
counsel and consultation. 

Diphtheria. 

Diphtheria is another dreaded sickness of child-age. 
The disease begins, like that of scarlet fever, common- 
ly with a fever, followed by pain in the throat. Every* 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. H5 

attack of this fearful malady is dangerous to the life 
of the child, yet there are few conditions in medicine 
in which prompt action will save so many lives as in 
this, therefore, parents, in every case of suspicious 
throat trouble on the part of your school-going v child, 
call at once into counsel a competent physician. 

Symptoms. 

Hoarseness is the first noticeable indication, and 
perhaps slight chilliness, together with a peculiar" 
pricking and tickling sensation in the throat. There 
is a hacking cough and expectoration of a small- 
amount of thick secretion. There may be a slight dif- 
ficulty in breathing and some pain in swallowing. The 
patient feels generally pretty well, and is troubled 
chiefly by impairment of voice, which is either husky. 
reduced to a mere whisper or entirely lost. This con- 
dition lasts for some days. There may be a mild de- 
gree of fever at the outset (100 to 103 degrees F.) 
Whenever in the slightest degree any of these symp- 
toms are observed in your child, ring up the doctor at 
onee ! 

These diphtheria germs may remain in the throat of 
the child for weeks and even months after all signs 
in the throat have disappeared and it seems well. In 
such cases the germs can be communicated to others- 
in its most severe form. There should be a careful ex- 
amination in all. cases of diphtheria of the secretion 
in the throat, to discover the entire absence of the- 



11(3 THE SCHOOL -CHILD. 

diphtheric germ before the affected child is allowed 
to mingle with other children in school. 

Whooping -Cough. 

"Whooping-cough is a contagious disease, almost ex- 
clusively appearing in children under the age of ten 
years. The name given to this child-malady is de- 
scriptive of the peculiar cough associated with it. The 
exact period of incubation is not known. Observa- 
tion, however, seems to agree that it varies from two 
to ten days. 

Symptoms. 

The child at first has the appearance of an ordinary 
cold in the head and thorax, accompanied by sharp 
nervous coughs, which have a tendency to come in a 
series. This gradually increases until there is a suc- 
cession of violent coughs, accompanied by a feeling of 
suffocation and flushing in the face. As soon as the 
cough has ceased, the little sufferer endeavors to fill 
up his lungs again, but there is a nervous spasm of 
the muscles of the throat which narrows the opening 
through which the air must pass; the violent attempt 
to inspire the air through this small space produces 
the peculiar "whoop'' from which the disease receives 
its name. 

The diet should be such as can be easily <ind quick- 
ly digested. Soups, pasteurized milk, eggs and the 
like should be frequently given. The maiter of the 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 117 

treatment of the disease should be left to the physi- 
cian attending the individual case. 

This is a disease not to be trifled with, since annu- 
ally there ar e about 10 ; 000 children dying from this 
malady. A child whose body is weakened by disease 
is a potential economic loss to the state. "Whooping- 
cough is a danger to be avoided and combatted in the 
interest of humanity and fchc citizen- of to-morrow. 

Mumps. 

Mumps is a contagious disease characterized by in- 
flammation of the parotid glands, situated below in 
front of the ears, and sometimes of the other salivary 
glands below the jaw. 

Development. 

A period of from one to three weeks elapses after 
the exposure to the disease before the first signs de- 
velop. This germ has not been discovered, and the 
means of communication are unknown. 

Symptoms. 

Sometimes there is a preliminary discomfort before 
the apparent onset. This in children is restlessness, 
peevishness, languoir, nausea, loss of appetite, chilli- 
ness, fever and convulsions may usher in the attack. 
Mumps begins with pain and swelling below the ear on 
one side. Within fortyTeight hours a large, firm, sensi- 



118 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

tive lump forms under the ear and extends towards 
the face, downward and backward in the neck. After 
a period of two or four days the other gland usually 
becomes similarly inflamed, but occasionally only one 
gland is attacked. 

Chickenpox. 

Chickenpox is a contagious disease, chiefly attack- 
ing children. 

Development. 

A period of two weeks commonly elapses after the 
exposure to the disease before the appearance of the 
first symptoms of chickenpox, but this period may 
vary from 13 to 21 days. 

Symptoms. 

The characteristic eruption is often the first warn- 
ing of chickenpox, but in some cases there may be a 
preliminary period of discomfort, lasting for few 
hours, before the appearance of the rash. The erup- 
tion shows first on the body, in most cases especially 
the back. It consists of small red pimples, which ra- 
pidly develop into pearly looking blisters about as 
large as a pea to that of a finger nail, and sometimes 
surrounded by a red blush in the skin. Recovery with- 
out mishap is the usual result in chickenpox. 

Father, mother, in conclusion let us summarize the 
symptoms that should call forth isolation and imme- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. HQ 

diate special medical attention: A sore throat should 
make you think of scarlet fever or diphtheria ; a per- 
sistent discharge from the nose, of diphtheria; a ca- 
tarrh or cough with fever, of measles; vomiting 
with fever, of scarlet fever; weakness or lassitude in 
your child previously well, of diphtheria; a cough 
which comes in spells, of whooping-cough; a croupy 
cough, of laryngeal diphtheria; a rash on the outer 
skin, measles,, scarlet fever, rubella or chickenpotx, a 
swollen and inflammation of the parotid and salivary 
glands, of mumps. 

Kespectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



SERIES C. 

THE SPIBITUAL AND ETHICAL EDUCATION OF THE 
SCHOOL-CHILD. 

LETTERS, 



1 ' If we work upon marble, it will perish ; if on brass, 
time will efface it ; if we rear temples, they will crum- 
ble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds, 
and imbue them with principles, with the just fear of 
God and love oif our fellowmen, we engrave on these 
tablets something that will brighten to all eternity." 

— Daniel Webster. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 123 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret : — ■ 



o c 



Thus far, in our correspondence, we have been only 
•dealing with the physical side of the school-child's 
nature, enlarging on those elements entering into the 
making of a robust man. Such as the eating and di- 
gesting of nutritious food, its vitalization into blood 
made pure by oxygenation ; the producing of an or- 
ganization by which the blood can have free course 
to flow and be glorified into a body fully and har- 
moniously unfolded in all its parts. But life is more 
than good, deep breathing, expansion of chest, en- 
largement of bodily organs and quick rounds of blood. 

*'We live in thoughts, not breath, in deeds not years; 
In feelings, not figures on the dial; 
We must count time by heart-throbs, 

He most lives, who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the 
best." 

This means, that in addition to the production of 
a giant-body,, the crowning glory of our educational 
efforts should be the development of a finely organized 
and a well balanced brain ; this means ability to think 
intelligently and intelligibly to express oneself upon 
every subject actuated by noble sentiments of feeling, 
impelled by lofty ideals and accordingly acting one's 
part in life's great drama: this is more than simple 
regularly in eating and drinking, the observance of 
proper hours in sleeping and recreation; it means 



124 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

power, intellectual, ethical and spiritual power — 
"power of thought, affection, will and outward action- 
power to observe, to reason, to judge, to contrive;, 
power to adopt good ends firmly,, and to pursue them, 
effectively ; power to govern ourselves and to influ- 
ence others; power to gain and spread happiness." 
The acquisition of this power of brain means the full' 
and harmonious unfolding of those mental, ethical' 
and spiritual soul-qualities belonging to the school- 
child. 

Tn the consideration of this phase of child-educa- 
tion, namely: Its Spiritual and Ethical Education, we 
would first kindly direct the attention of your patrons> 
to the following important sub-topic: 

Give Your Child a Good Example. 

One of the strongest impellents that God has laid 
in human nature is the inclination to imitate. Partic- 
ularly active does it show itself in the child. Hence- 
as a means for its education it is of the highest sig- 
nificance. The greatest power of example centers it- 
self in the strong inclination to imitate. Fenelon says - 
"In all life's attitudes, example has upon us an as- 
tonishing influence, in childhood it means every- 
thing.' ' 

"As polished steel receives a stain 
From drops at random flung; 
So does the child, when words profane- 
Drop from the parent's tongue." 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 125 

If it were possible to environ children everywhere 
%vith examples of the true, beautiful and good in word 
• and deed, to keep distant from them every converse in 
which they would see, hear and learn unrighteousness 
•and evil, the larger portion would remain unspotted. 

The strength of example centers itself in. this, see- 
ing produces a strongr and more immediate impres- 
sion than the word. Because of this that celebrated 
Roman philosopher, Senaca, says: "Long is the way 
"through precept but short and effective through ex- 
ample.*" Words then only fructify when they become 
clothed in a good example. Children are more deeply 
impressed by that which they see than by that which 
they hear. They trust more to the eye than to the 
ears. Herder says: "That which works most .is not 
instruction and command, but on the contrary pat- 
tern and example." The greater the authority is of 
Those setting the example, the larger will be the force 
of the influence it exercises. But where for the child 
is there a higher authority than that of the parents? 
Because of this their demeanor is of an incalculable 
influence upon the child. It always early imitates the 
idiosyncrasies, habits and moirals of the parents. In 
its nature, speech and action that of the parents again 
mirrors itself. This is corroborated by the following 
proverbs: "One can see in the child what kind of a 
father it has." "Like the field sci the turnips; like 
the father so the boys." "The children's cleanliness 
^points to the mother's assiduousness." The parents, 



126 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

therefore, 1 should seek for all the faulls and vices of 
their children the source nearest at hand, in them- 
selves. 

Yon parents, ask yourselves whether you in every 
particular serve your child as a model, whether you 
can say to it : ' ' Doi everything as you see it in ns. your 
father and your mother. If your son sees, father,, 
that you diligently work, joyfully labor and persever- 
ingiy struggle forward in an endeavor to attain your 
desired ends and purposes in life ; mother, if your 
daughter sees that you are incessantly active in the 
household affairs, everywhere looking after the domes- 
tic interests and that you are deeply concerned about 
the details, and that you add unto the true, beautiful 
and good lustre and splendor, then will son and 
daughter with love and honor look up to you and im- 
itate you. 

One can daily observe what blessings the good exam- 
ple of parents exerts upon the children. And to this an 
innumerable company of celebrated men and women 
hear testimony. If one asks them, how came they to 
this nobleness of character that so greatly distinguish- 
es them, their answer is: ''All this I owe to my be- 
loved, good and faithful parents Their example I aiu 
earnestly emulating" 

Father, mother, mark carefully for yourselves the 
two following observations and deal according tot them : 
"Words are dwarfs, examples giants" "Not what 
yon teach 1he children, but on the contrary what you. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. ' 127 

yourselves are, will they become. ' ' Consequently you 
cannot be severe enough with yourselves; for every 
perverted dealing, every filthy, hateful word finds in 
the receptive mind of the child a re-echo. 

"For as the light not only serves to show, but renders us 
Materially profitable; so our lives 
In acts exemplary, not only will to others give 
Matter for virtuous deeds by which we live." 

Rspectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



128 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

The association with one's equals is for man the 
richest foundation for mental animation and incita- 
tion and for the improving and refining of character. 
In intercommunication habits and morals are shared. 
While perhaps the changes may not beperceptible,there 
is nevertheless a continual polishing quietly going on. 
The disposition will involuntarily and unconsciously 
be improved. When grown people cannot escape the 
influences upon them of the people with whom they 
associate, then indeed much less children. They w T ill 
then, by associating with others, become changed 
either for the better or worse. 

41 Character is mainly moulded by the cast of mind that sur- 
rounds it. 

Let then the playmates of the little one be no other than thy 
judgment shall approve. ' ' 

Then, father, mother: 

Watch Over the Associations of Your Child. 

That .you may strike a proper compass relative to 
the associations of your child, we would lay down for 
your careful observation the following rules: 

Rule 1 — Permit your child to associate with other children. 

The child only finds itself entirely at home and 
truly comfortable when among other children. In the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 129 

active circulation and contention with its companions 
of like age its individuality shows itself and unreserv- 
edly it gives way entirely to self, just as it is, acting; 
and doing as it feels and thinks; it reveals most clearly 
its cheerfulness and happy disposition, w r it and hu- 
mor, inventive ingenuity and arranging talent. To 
many a virtue and feeling of the child is first given 
the key-note through that social life with other chil- 
dren, such as compatibility of temper, ait'abilit}', trac- 
tability. a tender regard for orthers, a participation 
in the joys and sorrows of others. 

The disadvantages which arise by denying to the 
child the pleasure of associating with other children, 
particularly by not permitting it to play in common 
with them in the open, are not a few. Experience 
teaches that boys who have grow up under the tutel- 
age of an extremely prejudiced mother, anxious 
grandmother, and aged aunt, and who have been so- 
licitously "guarded from the street." are seldom 
strong, having vigorous and self-dependent natures. 
On the contrary, they become "mother-pets" and 
"room -sitters," they lose the real child-like, becom- 
ing knowing far beyond their years and self-pleasing 
and show themselves later in life awkward and fool- 
ish. 

Hule 2 — Permit your child to associate only with well-behav- 
ing children. 
9 



130 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Many parents concern themselves little about the 
playmates of their children, because they think : Chil- 
dren are children. 

Such indifference is by no means proper. Since a 
well reared companion can favorably influence a child.. 
a badly disposed one, on the contrary, unfavorably. 
The impressions which a child receives through asso- 
ciation affects it not alone outwardly, but also inwardly 
in character as well. Father, mother, then do not per- 
mit your child to associate with children whoi are to- 
you entire strangers, and allow it to choose only such 
companions who are open and true, orderly and dili- 
gent, courteous and pleasing, such that you wish your 
child to he like unto them ! 

He who would keep his child distant from each and 
every evil association and companion will necessarily 
meet with many perplexities and embarrassments, 
particularly if the companionship is with the son or 
the daughter of a relative, friend, neighbor or one 
occupying a higher social plane and it must be broken 
off. However the consideration of true character-un- 
folding is everything; the future welfare and happi- 
ness of your child must occupy a higher place for you 
than companionable associations and social distinc- 
tions. 

Rule 3 — Permit your child, itself, to select the children with 
whom it would associate. 

Greatly rejoice when your son wins a beloved com- 
panion and your daughter a faithful girl-friend. It 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. . 13]_ 

many times happens in these selections that opposites 
are attracted to each other. Vigorous children feel 
themselves drawn to the weak, lively ones to the more 
quiet, well talented ones to those of mediocre mental 
gifts. There lies a charm and a gain in self -comple- 
tion. 

Father, mother, do not over-hastily .stop the pro- 
gress of the playmate disposition of your child. For- 
bid it not to associate and make a companion of this 
or that chlid, purely upon outward circumstances and 
conditions, simply, perhaps, because it is poorly 
dressed, or that the father does not occupy the same 
social plane with you, etc. Guard yourself also from 
calling all street-playing boys "street-urehius," and 
all poorly clad children ''ill-bred'* and ''nasty chil- 
dren." 

Rule 4 — Watch over the association of your child on its 
school-way. 

It is not unimportant as to with whom your child 
goes to and returns home from school. If your son or 
your daughter travels two or _ four times daily the 
school-way with an ill-behaved child, it can hear and 
embrace much that is evil, things can be related to it 
that may spot its ears and soul, it can be easily misled 
unto stealing, lying and deception. 

Rule 5 — Watch over the relations of your child with ser- 
vants. 

In every family where domestics are employed the 
childreu dailv come in contact with them as well as 



];>2 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

with any other help engaged about the house. Yes, in 
many, they are even entrusted to their care and super- 
vision. An association of the child with the servants 
is not to be advised. It also would be unreasonable 
and extremely arbitrary if you would deny to them 
jour child. This, however, you should hinder that 
the child's association with them shall not terminate 
into aii intimate and constant converse. Most ser- 
vants in the presence of children place noi restraint 
upon their words and jokes and they may see and hear 
much that for their eyes and ears is not proper. And 
if the domestics are base and wicked, then indeed can 
they jeopardize the whole educational labor. There- 
fore, already out of consideration for their children, 
conscientious parents will exercise the greatest pre- 
caution in the engaging of domestics, and will leave 
with them as little as possible their offspring. 

However, father, mother, hold in strict considera- 
tion this, that your child never rudely and arrogantly 
lords it over the servants, that it never commands 
and directs them, but on the contrary only gently re- 
quests, and that each. and every assistance, even the 
moist trifling, it receives, that for the same it kindly 
and politely thanks them. The relations of your child 
with the servants of the household will then for it be- 
come a school of instruction for those later associa- 
tions with people oif other grades of culture and places 
of subordination. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 133, 

Rule 6 — Permit an inter-relationship of your child with other 
families. 

This is to be encouraged for this reason, by suck- 
inter-family intimacies your child learns to know dif- 
ferent life-conditions and to compare them with each; 
other, extending its historic circle, and winning great- 
er confidence in its communications with people of 
higher standing. 

Rule 7 — Keep distant your child from children-clubs. 

Children should have friendly relations and make 1 
mutual social visits among themselves. But it is not 
good when children, at age from 10 to 12 years, or- 
ganize themselves into children-clubs in which they 
appear in their finery, stiff and reserved as grown peo- 
ple, sitting together over coffee or cocoa and cake and 
gossiping, instead of playing in the open air or during 
inclement weather in a room. Commonly the children 
return from such formal gatherings with spoiled stom- 
achs and in a very excited and highly agitated state 
of mind. If parents think of enhancing the social con- 
ditions and pleasures of their children through chil- 
dren-gatherings, but are unable to form these associa- 
tions simple and harm onions with child-life, then they 
should entirely avoid them. 

Rule 8 — Above all enter yourselves diligently into an asso- 
ciation with your child. 



134 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Father, mother, seriously consider the following im- 
pressive exhortation by the poet Leopold Schefer: 
' k Diligently associate with your children. Have them 
about you day and night and love them and permit 
yourselves to be loved one beautiful year; for only 
in the narrow dream of childhood are they yours no 
longer." And follow the call of that great children's 
friend, Frobel: "Come, let us love our children." 

Right often seat yourselves at the side of your child, 
relate to it stories and allow it to relate something to 
you; sing and joke with it. Permit it also to ask as 
many questions as it pleases. The child question, 
"wherefore?" deserves every time an answer. Never 
turn it down as a "disturber" when you should an- 
swer, relate something or play with it. And if it 
sometimes becomes to you too much, do not become ir- 
ritable, and only with sweetness and gentleness turn 
it aside. 

In many families a kindly disposed being together 
is entirely unknown. It never occurs or very seldom 
takes place that father, mother and children prepare 
to spend together a pleasant evening, in the reading 
aloud from a book and commenting upon its contents, 
through music and singing, or through the playing 
of fitting games. In many families it is about as fol- 
lows: The father comes home from the shop or place 
orf business, takes his supper, reads the paper and then 
goes out. perhaps to the club-room, to the pool-room, 
bowling-alley, or, worsp of all, to the saloon, and the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 135 

wife wishes, after the day's laboir and toil, to give her 
nerves rest, and will not be disturbed by the children. 
Between parents and children no association what- 
ever takes place and no intimate companionship fol- 
lows. 0, to such parents and their children how very, 
very much is lost ! Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



136 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

The number of educational and cultural means is 
large. But the most effective and significant is relig- 
ion, is a fear oif God and a genuine piety, and it is the 
most earnest and holy duty of every parent to work 
thereunto, that their child receive a deep religious 
culture, that there shall be firmly rooted in its heart 
a strong, joyous and courageous faith. 

Seume gives the substance of religion in the fol- 
lowing words': " Religion is the best conductress 
through life, the best leaderess in happy days, the best 
comfortress in misfortune. The true foundation of 
religion is the firm conviction in the existence of God. 
of His providences, of the all-overcoming worth of 
virtue, the immortality of the soul, and a recompense 
after death for our lives here upon earth. "Without re- 
ligion a man, with all knowledge, is a ship on a stormy 
sea without sails or mast, a plant without the nour- 
ishing soil." 

Out of the deepest of his conviction the noble Pes- 
taloizzi speaks: "Religion is the foundation of all true 
education" And Niemeyer corroborates this as he 
writes: "Only in that degree will the culture of the 
youth thrive and the future generations become bet- 
ter, just in proportion as wisdom and virtue begins 
and thrives in their religiousness — permeating family 
and school." 

As innermost, deepest and holiest there lives in the 
heart of the child that religious feeling, and to culti- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 137 

vate this, that it sometime becomes a fruit-bearing 
tree, is the highest duty of the parents. What is here 
neglected is with difficulty and perhaps never re- 
trieved. But that which is in childhood deeply im- 
bedded in the heart will continue firm through life, 
even in the winter of age. Nothing trains a child so 
much unto character than that self-bowing to the all- 
governing authority of a living God, and that in life 
we can execute the great as well as the small things 
only by the help of God. If the child is left to grow 
up withorut any religious-ethical foundation princi- 
ples, then will it fall a victim to egotism, which is the 
destroyer of all authority, all contentedness and all 
inner happiness. Religion is and remains the most 
beautiful gem in the educational crown. 

The germ of religiousness, a pious sense, rests in 
the heart of the child. This makes itself herein clear- 
ly known, that, when the child observes something in 
nature, grand, forceful, as the beholding of a gorgeous 
sunset, the starry heavens, the passing of a frightful 
thunderstorm, etc., it involuntarily asks: "Who makes 
this?" "Who does this?" The foundation thought of 
religion is the belief that there is an all-loving Father 
in heaven, and this thought is so simple and easily un- 
derstood that each child can comprehend it. 

Tnfortunately there are parents who hold that the 
education of a child unto righteousness is something 
unnecessary, when they give to it a good moral train- 
ing. Experience has again and again taught that a 



138 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

morality without religiousness is like a plant without 
root. Morality only truly thrives in an intuitive soil 
that knows God, believes in Him and in reverence and 
thankfulness prays to Him. True, morality can pro- 
duce an uprightly thinking and a conscientiously deal- 
ing man, but not a truly happy one, firm in character 
in every situation and in all the storms of life. Neg- 
lecting in early childhood the proper cultivation and 
fostering of this innate principle, religiousness as it 
bestirs itself in its reaching out after the divine, and 
laying a good foundation for a religious-ethical char- 
acter, leaves one later religiously vacillating and often 
the victim of every fanatical wind that blows. There- 
fore, patrons : 

Educate Your Child Unto Religiousness. 

How shall you, father, mother, educate your child 
unto a belief in God and unto godliness? The means 
are three, namely: 

Instruction, Example and Haoit. 

Instruction. 

Beloved mother, understand that you can exert 
upon the religious life of the child a greater influence 
than the father. "WTien the God-thought in the heart 
of your child bestirs itself, then should you say to 
it : " Child, it is a beloved God who permits the flowers 
to bloom, the seed to grow and the fruit to ripen. It 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 139 

is a beloved God who allows the storm to roar, the 
•lightning to flash, the thunder to roll, the clouds to 
rain, the sun to shine, the rainbow to brighten and 
the stars to twinkle. It is a beloved God from whom 
Cometh every good and perfect gift, food and drink, 
vigor and health. It is He who guards and protects 
.you and jn'epares for you joy and happiness. ' ' 

Father, mother, as you r child grows older, then 
point out to it how God has revealed Himself in the 
Bible and in the history of the world. How He yet 
•continually reveals Himself in nature and in the in- 
dividual man, and tell to it the beautiful story of Je- 
sus, concerning His life, work and suffering, and of 
the deeds of His apostles and the progrss of Chris- 
tianity. 

Direct it to that every-day miracle of God, how He 
daily spreads the table for millions upon millions of 
His creatures, that He provides for the smallest in- 
sect and prepares for its happiness. "Behold the birds 
•of the heavens, that they sow not, neither do they 
reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Fa- 
ther feedeth them." Tell it, that our entire life rests 
*ipon the eternal foundations of Deity, and that all 
•sequences, such as joy and pleasure, which life brings 
to us, are the unmerited gifts of God, that health and 
sickness, good and evil days, fortune and misfortune 
come from God. that no blind chance rules, but on the 
contrary, that there exists a divinely ordained world- 
system, that each benificent act bears within itself its 



140 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

reward and every misdemeanor its punishment, andl 
that the good yet at last shall be victorious over the- 
mean and wicked. 

Teach your child to know God out of its and your 
own life. Relate to it of your anxieties, and how God. 
helped you in times of necessity, and concerning His^ 
love and providences towards you. If you speak iiii 
this manner to your child of God and His works ancB 
His providences, His love and care, then will its soul 
be filled with reverence, then belief in God and a love- 
for Him and an inamissable trust will sink into its- 
heart. 

Well indeed is it for the child that has a mother- 
like the godly Gertrude in Pestalozzi's book: "How 
Gertrude Teaches Her child," as this eminent ehild- 
friend places the words upon her lips: "Child, there- 
is a God whom you will need, when you no more neecT 
me ; a God, who takes you up in His arms, when it is-- 
no more possible for me to protect you ; a God, who* 
gives you happiness and peace, when I can give yore 
nothing more." 

Example. 

But. dear parents, mightier than all your words 
will your example work upon the heart and mind of 
your child. Father, mother, live before your child 
God-fearing and pious lives, point by act that the 
word of Joshua: "As for me and my house, we will 
serve Jehovah!" is vour motto. If in your house the* 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 141 

pious practice prevails to pray before and after meals, 
if you diligently heed the call of the church bell to 
•come toi the house of worship, if you speak concerning 
the services, religious practices and customs of the 
church in the highest reverence, and of its officers 
with the greatest respect, if you celebrate Christmas 
not simply as a festival of love among- men, in the giv- 
ing and receiving of gifts, but on the contrary, also. 
-commemorating it as a festival of the manifestation 
of the love of God unto the children of men. if peace 
Mini unity prevails between every member of the fam- 
ily, then indeed are there mighty influences at hand, 
which shall firmly lay hold of the mind and heart 
of your child, and leave behnid ineffaeable marks. 

Religion is not a system of doctrine, religion is a 
life; but life can only be engendered through other 
life. You will not succeed in educating your child 
into a true goodness if you yourselves are not pious. 
It is for the religious-character unfolding of the child 
•of infinite worth that it grows up in a family in which 
a Christian-ethical world conception dominates and 
a godliness prevails, which is full of hope, full of sun- 
shine and joyousness, that is as Jesus pictured it when 
He pointed to the lilies of the field and the birds of 
the heavens. The more the child perceives of the good 
and the lovely the more will it seek to thrive in the 
same. Without law or command will then its will be 
directed to the good. The religious-ethical impres- 
sions which the child receives in the parental home 



142 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

form the back- and fore-ground for that entire fol- 
lowing life; for what has been founded early is also 
founded deeply. 

Habit. 

With word and example may yet be associated habit. . 
The first and most natural act of the religious feel- 
ing is prayer. Already early should you, mother,, 
teach your child to fold its little hands and to pray, 
both morning and evening, to the Father in heaven. 
And if your child is eight, ten, twelve years old. then 
should you, if not daily, yet weekly once or twice, ac- 
company your son, your daughter to bed and there- 
kneel before it and pray with it. Joy to the child 
that has sueh a mother ! Such a child will grow in rev- 
erence towards God and to Him in love and trust turn, 
and will in humility feel its dependence upon Him, 
holding firmly to the belief that a higher One rules, 
over ns, who directs all things for the best. 

In the evening before the birthday of your child 
or on the morning of this day seat yourselves, kind 
father, beloved mother, at its bed, grasp its hands and L 
gently press its head on your shoulder, think over' 
with it the past year of life, and lay upon its lips. 
Words of thanks and praise towards its heavenly Fa- 
ther. 

Over the world-conception of a man who has learn- 
ed to pray in his parental home, a ray of the eternal 
will always gently pass. The celebrated Virginian,. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 143 

John Randolph, says for himself : " I would have been 
an atheist had not a single remembrance sustained me ; 
the recollection of that time when my mother care- 
fully took my little hands in hers, that I might kneel 
down and pray: 'Our Father who art in heaven!' : 
Father, mother, hang in the' sleeping room of your 
child pious mottos, such as these : ' ' Commit thy ways 
unto the Lord, trust also in Him." "A faithful man 
shall abound with blessing. ' ' "Be thou faithful unto 
death and I will give thee the cr.own of life." These 
mottos will leave an imperidible impression upon its 
memory, aceorapa^-ing it through its whole life and 
will be to it, in days of joy and sorrow, a pole-star. 

And now yet one word more, particularly to you, 
beloved father. It will not fail that in the mind of 
your son, your daughter religious doubts will arise. 
The question will spring up in their hearts- "Is there 
a God, and is there an eternal life?" In order that 
your child is not without anchor, then during earnest, 
solemn moments speak to it: "Dear child, it cannot 
be demonstrated that there is a God, an eternity and 
a purpose for our labors, and that it is worthy of the 
courageous effort to work, to love and to suffer. The 
only word we have from that ( bourne whence no trav- 
eler has returned' is the testimony of Jesus. How- 
ever, if you are weak and remiss personally, then soon 
will your courage fail, then will you faint-heartedly 
say: 'Everything is void, one cannot know anything 



144 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

definitely, everything is but appearance.' But if you 
are a eourageaus personality, then will you bravely 
believe that this life has a meaning;, a purpose and 
a significance. Be courageous then, my child. Look 
to Jesus on the cross and the victory of His mission 
and upon the multitude of witnesses, who were firm 
in their faith." Also bring your child unto an un- 
derstanding of these words : Mental culture may ever 
progress, the sciences may ever expand and develop 
and more deeply penetrate the world of nature, the 
human mind enlarge itself as it will, never will it ex- 
ceed beyond the exaltedness and the moral culture of 
Christianity as it shimmers and shines in the gospels. 
Father, mother, often with your son, your daughter 
gather about the piano and together sing the follow- 
ing beautiful Sun-day hymn: 

"Lord of all being! throned afar. 
Thy glory flames from star to star; 
Centre and soul of every sphere, 
Yet to each loving heart how near! 

* ' Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray 
Sheds on our path the glory of day; 
Star of our hope, Thy softened light 
Cheers the long Avatehes of the night. 

"Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn; 
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn; 
Our rainbow arch Thy mercy's sign; 
All save the clouds of sin are Thine! 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 145 

""Lord of all life, below, above, 
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, 
Before Thy ever-blazing throne 
We ask no lustre of our own. 

' ' Grant us Thy truth to make us free, 
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee, 
Till all Thy living altar claim 
Our holy light, our heavenly flame." 

Respectfulh^ yours. 

Ichabod Crane. 
10 



146 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

The duties of the heart, though at the foundation 
of all morality and all goodness, do not terminate 
in themselves and are not in themselves complete. 
Moral and religious obligations relate to the conduct 
no less than to the feeling. Reverence towards God 
and a love to Him, respect for parents and a regard 
for law and order lead to obedience. "Where the lat- 
ter is deficient, we are warranted to conclude that the' 
former is lacking. There cannot be in the heart a 
love for God, respect for parents and a regard for law 
and order when obedience is wanting. 

Obedience is by no means a virtue springing up in 
the human heart, full-grown, at once strong and firm, 
but like every other quality adding virtue to charac- 
ter and nobleness to disposition, it is something that 
must be gradually attained ; a quality that must, like 
a tender plant, be carefully nurtured and cultivated, 
that it may not be warped. 

The musician is not born with the ability to play 
the organ or any other musical instrument. Many 
persons are born with an innate musical faculty, but 
not one can do anything without education and train- 
ing, and so, although we have our mental natures, our 
innate tendencies to things virtuous and good, they 
are all nevertheless obliged to conform to the law of" 
education and training. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 147 

And in order that the child may in character be 
gently disposed, giving full compliance to parents, to 
teacher, to law and to order, then this ennobling qual- 
ity should be carefully cultivated. And further, that 
love to God and to parents, respect for home and com- 
munity, regard for school, law and order, will only be 
proportionate as the child has learned to obey. Nor 
can this education unto obedience begin too early in 
the life of the child. 

"Patience is the first great lesson: the child may 
begin the learning of this already at its mother's 
breast, and the habit of OBEDIENCE may be graft-. 
ed by the mother upon its mind as it cooingly lies be- 
fore her in its cradle." 

Educate Your Child Unto Obedience. 

"Heaven does divide the state of man into various 
functions, 
To which is fixe'd as aim or butt, OBEDIENCE." 

Once upon a time Goethe turned over the leaves 
of the autograph album of his little nephew "Wolf, and 
upon one of the pages he found nothing but the words : 
"Learn to obey. 7 ' His friend Zolter had written this. 
Laughingly the poet remarked: "This is the only rea- 
sonable word standing in the whole book. Zelter al- 
ways hits the nail on the head." This remark points 
toi this, that the training of the child unto obedience 
is one of the most important chapters in child-educa- 
tion. 



1-hS THE SCHOOL CHILIX 

Obedience is th e foundation-pillar upon which the 
whole educational structure must rest. Without obe- 
dience, authority, discipline and order, education is 
impossible. This is all corroborated by Diesterweg as 
he says: "Obedience is the highest virtue, the cardi- 
nal virtue of the child, out of which all other virtues 
easily unfold themselves." 

The Bible points thereon, as to how extraordinarily 
important it is to educate the child unto obedience. 
The Apostle Paid impressively exhorts the children: 
"Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is 
right." And we are reverentially told in the gospel 
of Luke that Jesus went home from Jerusalem to Ga- 
lilee after the temple-incident, "and was subject unto 
them" (his parents). And in other portions of the 
sacred volume salvation, peace and joy are promised 
unto the obedient, and the disobedient child is threat- 
ened with punishment and disaster. 

The best groundwork for the obedience of the child 
towards the parents is a respect, reverence and love 
towards God, the highest authority. 

A child is obedient then when it does what father 
and mother enjoin upon it; when it follows their com- 
mands and exhortations, fulfills their wishes, observes 
their instructions and counsels, when it does not fol- 
low its own will, when that of the disciplinarian, be 
that father, mother or teacher, stands in opposition. 

The education of the child in obedience is necessary 
unto its character-unfolding. The child onlv becomes 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 149' 

good, virtuous, morally strong when it places in sub- 
jection its inclinations and desires under the injunc- 
tions: "Thou shalt" and "Thou shaft not." Only 
through obedience will it become free from the power* 
of the sensual. Strictness, punctualness, down to the 
most trivial act of obedience, towards father, mother 
and teacher is at the same time the best preparation^ 
for that later life, for that life in the community and 
as a citizen of the state, and is also the best prepara- 
tory school for this, to command in the right manner' 
as grown-up. The proverb is : "He who has not learn- 
ed obedience cannot command." First obedience, then* 
command. This is God's order. How shall children; 
accommodate themselves under the authority of thtf 
school and later learn obedience to the law and the 
oirder of the community and the state if they have 
not been habituated unto a willing and punctual obe- 
dience in the home ? 

Finally the accustoming to obedience is the most 
efficient means for the child's mental inurement, to- 
arm it against the delusions of later life, of which no 
man remains unspared. When as a child obedience - 
has become something self -understood, it will easily 
deny itself unfulfilled and inadmissible wishes, and 
bear without murmuring fatigue and pain. And the 
more old-standing ordinances slacken their restric- 
tions, the freer the laws, customs and civic regula- 
tions shape themselves, the better should it be trained 
unto obedience, respect for authority and regard for' 
law and order. 



150 : THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

In a government like ours where the enjoyment of 
liberty is recognized fully as an inalienable right, be- 
longing to each and every citizen, where the making 
and enforcement of the law centers itself in the citi- 
zen, it is of paramount importance in order that law 
and order obtain that in every American home the les- 
sons of obedience should be immutably impressed in- 
to the character of the child, since a citizenship like 
ours, vested with its democratic civic rights and priv- 
ileges, will only be proportionately obedient to law 
and order and to the mandates of its own created law- 
making and law-executing powers as it has learned to 
submit to rules and regulations in the parental school 
of the home. According to the actuating causes in- 
ducing obedience on the part of the child there are 
five kinds, namely : 

Blind Obedience; Obedience Because" of a Fear of Punish- 
ment; Obedience Through Discrimination; Obedience Actu- 
ated by Love; Obedience Determined Through the Freedom 
of the Will. 

Blind Obedience. 

This kind of an obedience is entirely in place with 
quite young children. They should, therefore, me- 
chanically obey, do that what they are directed to do, 
quietly, because father, mother require it. To ex- 
plain to young children wherefore they should do that 
or leave it undone is unwise, and may be an entering- 
wed ore opening the way to disobey. Unfortunately 



THE SCHOOL-CHILI). 151 

tlier e are many mothers who ean habituate themselves 
unto this serious fault, iu not plaeing upon their eom- 
mands and orders an imperative emphasis. Here is 
a mother who calls her child, which is playing in the 
open : ' v Come in, for it is cool. ' ' But it does not come. 
Suddenly father's stentorious voice is heard: "Come 
in at once." And behold, it immediately obeys. 

Whereunto it leads, when a mother parleys with her 
child, when she, instead of commanding it, seeks by 
argumentation to convince it, is beautifully pointed 
out in an example which is found in a book by Niko- 
la: ''Ill-bred Children." The mother: "Lewis, take 
with 3~ou your cloak. ' ' The son : ' • Mother, it isn 't 
worth the trouble. ' ' The mother : ' ' See how cloudy 
it is becoming, we are having west-wind, the barome- 
ter is falling, do take it." The son: "But. mamma, I 
assure you, it will not rain." The mother: "As you 
on Thursday went to see your uncle you had no cloak, 
it rained, and you became wet to the skin." The son: 
"Yes, but on Sunday you directed me to put it on, 
and how beautiful the weather was." If the mother 
has resolved to secure obedience she will determinate- 
ly answer: "My son. do you understand, I have 
enough of your observations as to weather possibili- 
ties, you take your cloak. I require it." 

Father, mother, as long as your child is yet young, 
make it a rule : That one word, one look or gesture 
must suffice, that therewith it obeys withont delay or 
murmuring. "Father wills it, mother wishes it." 
This must be sufficient, more dare not be necessarv. 



152 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Obedience Through Tear of Punishment. 

In an obedience of this kind it is to the child dis- 
agreeable to follow the bidding or forbidding, but 
nevertheless it listens because it says that by disobey- 
ing something will follow that is still more unpleas- 
ant, namely, punishment. Between the two extremes, 
of unpleasantness it accepts that which is least dis- 
agreeable. At the foundation of such an obedience 
there is a counting of the cost ; it deserves no praise. 

Discriminating Obedience. 

Entirely different is it in this kind of an obedience 
from that of a fear of punishment. Here the child 
does that which father and mother direct, because it 
perceives that they know better than it does what is 
good and salutary for it. And the older the more- 
sensible and self-dependent it becomes the more will 
it attempt t make clear unto itself the aim, advan- 
tage and necessity of a command, direction or prohi- 
bition comino- from father, mother, hence the oftener, 
instead of a strict behest, there should take place a 
mutual counseling and deliberation. The child one com- 
mands, to the boy one gives laws and precepts, and the 
youth one directs. 

Obedience Out Of Love. 

In an obedience actuated by love the child does not 
wish to grieve father and mother, since it highly re- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 153 

veres both, and feels itself obliged to them in thank- 
fulness. 

Obedience Determined Through the rreedom of Will. 

As the highest aim the parents should have in view 
a training unto an obedience actuated by an inward 
moral volition, of which the leading thought is: "I 
do this because it is good and right." The way to. 
ethical freedom and self-dependence, unto the domi- 
nation of the spirit over the senses, affections, ill-hu- 
mor, impulsiveness and passion goes through disci- 
pline and obedience. 

''Train up a child in the way he shall got, and even 
when he is old he will not depart from it." Train up 
a child unto obedience, all this is much easier said than 
done: and there is no department of domestic educa- 
tion wherein so many mistakes are made than in this 
one. Therefore would we. father and mother, place 
before you in answer to this question : 

How Should You Educate Your Child Unto Obedience? 

the following simple rules : 

Rule 1 — Require not too numerously and too variously of 
your child. 

Nothing is to children more repulsive and to them 
the least profitable than numerous commands, orders 
and restrictions, restraints, exhortations, directions 
and censures, for where much is required there is 



154 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

much opposition, and where much restraint is exer- 
cised, there is much wincing and chafing. With chil- 
dren the net of duties dare not be too; small in mesh, 
or else they will therein- smother. Particularly are 
there mothers who cannot sufficiently do enough in 
bidding and forbidding, in censuring and correcting. 
They are " everlastingly " talking. The child can nei- 
ther grasp nor step,' offer no assistance that suits them. 
Not only harmful, but also harmless things they for- 
bid. On all occasions it is: "You must not." "You 
must." "Take care." "Stop that." It is: "Don't 
here, don't there, don't everj-where." What is the 
result, when the child with the best intentions is un- 
able to meet all these requirements and regulations? 
Either it will become uncertain, timid and hesitant in 
its movements or entirely indifferent and only d what 
agreeably answers to its voluntariness, or it will be 
fretful and irritable., and it will come to evil conclu- 
sions. 

Parents, if you too numerously require of a child 
more than it can easily perform, according to its abil- 
ity and disposition, then this bitter feeling is liable 
to be awakened in the child-mind: "Father, mother 
do me an injustice, they require too much, they are 
severe towards me." 

Rule 2 — Be determined and firm in what you require. 

When you, father, mother, for good reasons have 
forbidden something of the child, then therein remain 



•THE SCHOOL-CHILD. ; . ,155 

firm. You make for it, by so doing, obedience easy. 
Under a firm, unchangeable will it bows itself. Do 
not allow yourselves to be moved through opposition 
or pleading; for if the child observes that you will 
-not resist its "begging." and that through grieving, 
pouting, defying and crying it can make you to ten- 
-derly relent, then indeed is it all over with your au- 
thority and its obedience. 

Carefully observe also that the child performs what 
you require of it. "For only then will it become dis- 
obedient when for few times it has gotten around a 
command and when it dare hope to again escape. But 
if the command stands like a brazen wall and the com- 
mander like an omnicient watchman, then will disobe- 
dience not venture forth." (Polack.) 

Sometimes it happens that a child, at other times 
-entirely tractable, refuses to obey. Here, father, you 
should not rush upon it with a "by thunder, I'll see 
whether you will not listen!" But on the contrary, 
instead of losing your head, quietly seek after the 
cause. Not alwaj^s is the non-observance of something, 
and the non-compliance toi a request, especially when 
a child declares in company, perhaps, not to recite a 
poem, to sing or to play upon the piano. Here shy- 
ness can be the cause., then it should not be demanded 
and severity should not find place, but on the con- 
trary kindness and encouragement, aiding the child 
to overcome its bashfulness and timidity in the pres- 
ence of strangers. 



156 THK SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Also never seek to force the child to something: 
when it is deeply agitated and you greatly excited- 
Under such conditions before anything can deternii- 
nately take place both must become settled. If a child 
violently and stubbornly opposes a command, if it 
shows itself wild and ungovernable, then lead it to a 
solitary room and permit it there to remain until it 
becomes entirely calm. Then without uttering a word 
grasp it by the hand and lead it back again. In its- 
eye will it crush a tear and willingly perform what is- 
required of it. Not temper and arbitrariness, not se- 
verity and harshness, on the contrary, alome calmness^ 
and firmness, which have in love their root towards 
the child, gives to you, father, to you, mother, that 
authority to which the child willingly listens. 

Yet one question would we in this connection an- 
swer: Shall one constrain a child to do something?* 
To this. the answer is, "yes." When a child bluntly 
refuses to perform a duty, to complete a task. whei> 
all persuasion fails, when against every such encour- 
agement: "Please doi it;" "Only taste it, it will sure- 
ly go." it persistently replies: "No:, no!" "I will not 
bring it!" "I will not do it!" And you are fully 
convinced that coercion is the only means to bring it 
unto the execution of the desired purpose, that it- 
will do it no harm, but on the contrary be beneficial,, 
then permit the child to feel your entire authority* 
then oblige it, then is constraint kindness and love. 
But right here a word: Coerce the will, but do not 
break it. Do not uproot it, purify and ennoble it. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 157 

Rule 3 — Be united in what you require. 

Obedience to the child will be exceedingly irksome 
if you do not agree in your requirements. It is indeed 
•a lamentable state of affairs in a family when you, 
father, want to go to the right, and you, mother, to the 
left. Tlie child then stands between door and hinge, 
•and directly in a precarious, doubtful position. 

When the father directs the child to do something, 
then, mother, 3011 should not order the contrary ; when 
-he wants to punish it. then you must not encircle 
about it your arms; when he says: "My child, to-day 
as a punishment, will remain in the room," then you 
must not allow it for hours to play out-doors with its 
companions; when he has declared: "To-day niy child 
must not have any cake," then you must not secret- 
ly allow it to have a piece. 

Mother, avoid everything that will bring the will of 
the father and your will in opposition t that of your 
child. Also not with the slightest word, gesture or 
look undermine the authority of the father. If he 
orders something, which according to your manner of 
thinking is not right, does he permit something that 
you have gainsaid, then place it before him. when 
you are alone together, but never do it in the presence 
of the child. If the child onc e marks contradiction in 
your behests, then indeed will it be all over with its 
obedience. 



15S THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

"Never Lath a father done his duty, and lived to be 
despised by his son. But how can the son reverence 
an example he dare not follow? Should he imitate 
thee in thine evil? His scorn is thy rebuke. Nay, but 
bring him up right in obedience to God and to thee." 7 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane.. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 159 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret 



There is 110 propensity of the human disposition 
that brings upon the individual so many disadvantag- 
eous sequences than that of obstinate persistence in an 
opinion, purpose or course of conduct, pernicious to 
one's best interests and a determination to continue 
therein against every persuasion and entreaty. 

And at the same time there are few faults that pre- 
pare for teacher and parents greater difficulties in the 
education of children than this stubbornness so prone 
to human nature. The obstinate child will persist in 
its opinion or course even when it knows itself that it 
is wrong; it governs itself not according to the will 
of another, even when it cannot offer any reason for 
its refractory conduct; it holds to what it wills even 
when it experiences that the course it pursues is to it 
harmful and disadvantageous. Persuasion, admoni- 
tion, punishment, everything is in vain. The child 
through every possible manner seeks to force its will 
to the front, it sulks and whines, yes, it rebels even, 
throws itself upon the ground, cries, screams and 
rages. 

Popular opinion condemns contumaciousness, as the 
following proverbs fully indicate: "With obstinacy 
there is no gain." "Stubbornness is worse than mad- 
ness." "Obstinacy is the energy of stupidity." 
"Stubbornness by stupidity swayed, reason, helple^s- 
lv is against it arrayed." 



1(50 THE SCHOOL-CHILD, 

The inured results of a persistency in stubbornness 
are contumaceousness of opinion, quarrelsomeness and 
wilfulness. The child shows itself obstinate in opin- 
ion when it will not observe strange remonstrances; 
quarrelsome when it determines to force its will and 
opinion upon others ; headstrong* when from the be- 
ginning it sets itself against the remonstrances of oth- 
ers, resolutely pursuing its own ends ; defiant, when 
it directly does the forbidden, or does not the bid- 
den; and stiff-necked, when stubbornness becomes 
malevolently disposed. 

A child is not from birth on stubborn. Obstinacy 
is rather an evidence of a perverted education. Main- 
ly the parents are to blame for these educational 
faults, and indeed the mother more than the father. 

One of the principal sources of stubbornness in chil- 
dren is that blind love of the parents. Many a father 
and mother pamper and fondle their child, finding 
in it everything good, overlooking its naughtiness and 
ill-behavior, concealing its mistakes, paliating and ex- 
cusing its faults, praising and admiring it beyond all 
measure ; they refuse it nothing and deny to it no re- 
quest, doing everything out of love for it, excusing 
their relations to it by saying: "One must leave the 
child have its will and way, when it grows larger it 
will cease to be stubborn." 

Already the wise Sirach knew the consequences of 
this distorted love of father and mother, when he 
wrote the following in his book: "As your tenderness 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 161 

with your child, so must be hereafter your fear of it; 
as you play with it, so will it hereafter grieve you." 

What Shall Parents do When the Child Shows Itself 
Obstinate? 

We \yill answer tins question by placing before 
your patrons for their guidance and contemplation 
the following several rules: 

Rule 1 — Permit your child to experience that it gains noth- 
ing through stubbornness. 

Children are cunning. If the child once observes 
that it gets through when it sets its head, that father 
and mother fear its opposition, give way, then will it 
again and again make the attempt. But if it once 
becomes aware of the fact that its opposition is utter- 
ly useless, that it has reached a barrier through which 
it is impossbile for it to break, then will it give in 
and reconcile itself. The experience that through oib- 
stinacy nothing can .be attained is the besl instruction. 
" Against a wall, that one has learned to know to be 
brazen, by running up against it, no one will willingly 
bump up against the second and third time, also not 
a child." 
Hule 2 — Do not tolerate defiance and sulkiness. 

Sometimes the best means for the punishment of 

stubbornness is by a non-observance of the same. But 

•as for the, rest the father should make a rule that 

■when the child maliciously determines to break 

11 . 



162 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

through, to bring- it to .speak and to persuade it to set 
right again its head, to exercise judgment, patience 
and tact, for in most instances the child will be glad 
toi get itself out of the painful dilemma into which 
it lias brought itself through its imprudent conduct. 
It is the exercise of bad judgment if the father re- 
mains for days silent towards the stubborn child, be- 
cause he thinks Unit by his making the first approaches 
he will detract something from that respect due him. 

Rule 3 — Confound not an early awakening of a healthful 
and vigorous will with stubbornness. 

Stubbornness points to a strong unfolding of the 
ego-feeling and is a mark of a self -dependent will, 
precociously manifesting itself. Out of the strong- 
willed boys are mack 1 virtuous and character-full men. 
The will is the soul of the act. Therefore, the educa- 
tor should recognize Ike strong will of the boy. which 
as wilfulness comes to the light of day, not to break 
and annihilate it. but on the contrary toi steer it unto 
a good end. Gurtill writes: "All great men have 
only become great because of their strong wilful dis- 
position : for wilfulness is the outer expression of a 
strong individuality. To beat the stubbornness out 
of a child is. so toi speak, to destroy its individuality. 
The wilfulness of a child can become troublesome. The 
prudent parent and teacher, however, will not break 
it. on the contrary, master it." 

"Respectfully yours. 

TrHAP.on Crane. 



THE SCHOOL -CHILD. 1(53 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Parents will be placed in such a situation towards 
their children that they must bid or forbid something. 
The truth is, that without bidding or forlfidding 
there can be noi educational progress. That without 
a submission to certain inscriptions and without an 
obedience to restrictions, a mutual activity is not pos- 
sible and a unity cannot exist. The child also exper- 
iences tli is in scliool. Indeed much depends thereon, 
that the bidding and forbidding by the parents ta 
their children be done in a proper manner, bu1 : 

How Shall the Bidding and Forbidding to the Child be Done? 

Relative to this question, that your beloved patrons 
strike a proper mean, it will be well tor them to Lave 
constantly in view the following few simple rules: 

Rule 1 — Enjoin not too burdensome. 

Father, if you require something of your child that 
exceeds its strength and goes beyond its power to per- 
form, then you show the greatness of default. You 
must fit your requirements according to the capacity 
and understanding of your child, if you have a re- 
quest, something that is beyond its accomplishment 
and not to be by it mastered, then at once recall the 
command. , 



li;.| THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Rule 2 — Forbid not too much and too various. 

Father, mother, make it fosr yourselves a fundamen- 
tal rule to bid and forbid as little as possible, but also 
observe that the few permissions and non-permissions 
are unconditionally made effective. Rather too few 
than too many precepts and rules of conduct. Bid- 
ding and forbidding to the child too much, it cannot 
well remember all, then will it. if conscientious, be- 
come timid and confused, and if it has easy blood, 
dull and indifferent. Do not be continually saying to 
your child : "That you dare not do." But rather say 
what it dare do. How many children have no true 
pleasure in playing; they are timorous or ill-bred. 
What is the cause of this? Simply because everything 
that the child would do. it dare not do. There are 
many things which are self-understood, and under 
such circumstances it is foolishness to utter the com- 
mand or prescription: "That do." "That do not." 
When a word of counsel is sufficient, you should not 
enjoin, and as long as the child does nothing improp- 
er, you should not interpose. This constant remon- 
strating will be to the child as onerous as continual 
scolding. 

Rule 3 — Clearly and distinctly "bid and for Did. 

The child dare not for a single moment be in doubt 
as to that which it shall do or not do. Many fathers 
and yet more, many mothers, clothe their permissions 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 165* 

and inhibition* in many words. When this is done, 
the child will not know with what the permission or 
restriction deals, and it will become uncertain arid 
disgusted. Also every superfluous word weakens the 
power of the command. The shorter the commands 
and proscriptions are, the easier will they be remem- 
bered and so much better is their working. Where- 
fore do children better in the rule of the father than 
that of the mother? While she often uses twenty 
words when one will suffice for the father. 

Rule -A — Bid and forbid in a "benevolent tone. 

Ordiarily much hinges itself upon the tone in which 
something is required or denied. By the same word 
great pleasure can be produced for the child and also 
it can call forth the most violent opposition, yea, ac- 
cording as it lias been uttered in a friendly or irri- 
table and harsh tone. At no time should vexation,- 
irritation, ill-humor and rudeness of manner be the 
key-note in which your orders and requirements are 
delivered. Do not shout at your child, for by so do- 
ing you will awaken a suspicion as though you did not 
trust the force of your words. Your child should out 
of your tone and look and your demeanor understand 
that love is the fundamental actuating motive, where- 
fore you deny to it this or that. Toi know and to un- 
derstand this will always appear for your child an 
easy matter, simply because each command and. each 
denial restricts its will. Tf von give your command 



166 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

in a loveless manner, then will you lame its obedience. 
As the child grows older you can impart to it the rea- 
sons wherefore you wish that so and not otherwise. 
It will then apprehend your will as a higher moral 
efflux of that godly Will. For "the voice of the par- 
ents is the voice of God. for their children they are 
heaven 's lieutenants. ' ' 

Rule 5 — Hold firmly to that which you have bidden or for- 
bidden. 

Every man, also the child, reconciles self in that 
which cannot be changed, bows self to that inexorable 
must. If the child knows that all opposition is in 
vain, then will it not attempt any. You can be indul- 
gent to your child, you can do much for it through 
love, but notwithstanding you dare never obviate a 
command simply because it is to the child irksome or 
disagreeable. If you allow yourself to be entreated to 
take back one command or relent in your requirements 
because it does not suit it, if you. for it, often "see 
something through the fingers," if it marks that there 
is many a thing which you do not want to see, then 
you need not be surprised if it continually tries tot get 
around your behests and restrictions, and even if it 
does provide for you much vexation and chagrin. 

Rule 6 — Never add to your "bidding and forbidding a threat 
or punishment. 

The child must do what you enjoin upon it, discontin- 
tinue what you denv it without this added threat: 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. l£7 

"If you do not listen, this or that will happen to* 
you." Herein many well-meaning mothers seriously 
miss it. Many a mother threatens the child two, three, 
four times, yet it does not listen, simply because it 
knows her weak side and that it is not meant soi ser- 
iously, even when she utters her words with austerity 
and adds to them a most formidable look. 

And it is entirely wrong when the mother in the 
following manner threatens her child: "When father 
comes home he will punish you." The mother places 
then the father before it as a bugbear and herself as 
an evidence of her governing ability that she can ac- 
complish nothing with her child. 

Also, seek not to obtain obedience through promises, 
and particularly such as are of a begging and plead- 
ing character. A mother who says to the child: "Do 
this for me out of love." or "Be not disobedient, pro- 
perly conduct yourself and I will give yon a bon- 
bon." deals foolishly. Consistency is a power, rich in 
influences; she makes throatonings and promises to be 
superfluous. This constant, quietly remaining the self- 
same, works upon the child like a natural necessity. 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



K)S THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
bear Margaret: — 

Among the many duties that we owe to society is- 
one upon which we wish to particularly dwell as we 
address ourselves in this letter to your kind patrons, 
and that is of speaking the truth in all the varied lii'e- 
relations. That this is a duty incumbent upon us is 
evident from the demands of our moral nature, from. 
the whole structure and framework of society, which 
in a measure depends on and presupposes this duty,, 
as well as with the explicit commands oif God. "We 
are so constituted as to place e mfidence in the testi- 
mony of our fellow-creatures, and our moral nature,. 
our sense of right and justice, is violated when we 
find ourselves deceived. We are naturally inclined to 
speak the truth, and it is only under strong tempta- 
tions to the contrary that we arc induced to pursue 
an opposite course. Whenever we yield to these in- 
ducements our moral nature is violated; we are con- 
sciofus of wrong and self -degradation ; we are cast 
down from cur integrity. This moral nature, this 
disposition to credit others, the impulse to truthful- 
ness, this loss of self-esteem and conscious wrong when 
deviating from the truth in our statements, is in itself 
an indication of the will oif the Creator 1oo plain to 
be mistaken. This nature of ours is TTis workman- 
ship, and it is Tie who has planted in our being the 
germs of justice, truth and right. These are among 
our innate possessions. Therefore, father and mother: 



TILE SCHOOL-CHILD. 169 

Educate Your Child Unto Truthfulness. 

Veracity is a virtue, the worth and significance of 
which is acknowledged by everyone. It is the strong- 
est pillar of morality. Yea, without veracity a moral 
personality is unthinkable. 

Jean Paul calls veracity ihe blood of morality, and 
Hilty says: "Love for the truth and courage for the 
right are the foundatiotn-pillars of every true educa- 
tion, without these it is good-for-nothing.'' And yet, 
with all our natural repulsion against untruth and 
every dissimulation, there is no virtue in social life, 
against which in action and behavior so many sins of 
omission are being daily committed, as the following 
common terms indicate, applicable to this general 
moral perversion : Xecessity-lies. Entertainment-fab- 
rications, Business-deceptions. Society-dissimulations 
and -Test-fabrications. But. father, mother, over 
against all this: How habituate your child unto ve- 
racity? We shall endeavor toi answer this question for 
you. by layino- down for your guidance the following 
rules : 

Rule 1 — Bear towards your child an implicit confidence. 

Father, it is for the education of your child unto a 
love for the truth exceedingly important that it bears 
towards you the f idlest confidence, that it does not 
fear and timidly retreat from you. that it is open and 
upright towards you. entirely true and sincere. The 
best mean in order that this mav obtain is that von 



170 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

show towards it confidence. Your child will then be 
inwardly impelled not to betray your trust in it. If 
yooi mistrust it upon any unfounded reason, then you 
grieve and embitter it, and estrange it unto your 
heart, then you further it in an impure and non-veri- 
table disposition towards you. Therefore, avoid every- 
thing through which yon may lose the confidence of 
your child. Do noit intimidate it by continual censur- 
ing and admonishing and by this, that you behind 
every inadvertent slip scent baseness, and who knows 
how dismal and black you paint each lapse in behav- 
ior. 

When you investigate a matter of deportment, omit 
asking oif your child the questions: "Is this also 
true?" "You will not lie to me?" Avoid the word 
"lie" as long as you possibly can. When your child 
has slipped from the truth, never say to it : " You are 
a liar!" Guard yourself from applying to it this ap- 
phorism: "He who once lies no one believes, even 
when speaking the truth." For it is unjust also not 
to want to believe a child when it tells the truth. 

Rule 2 — Give to your child a good Example. 

Father, mother, would yon that your child learns to 
love and to reverence the truth, that it abhors the 
"lie," that it shuns every deceit and dissimulation, 
then must you yourselves cultivate a most strict love 
for the truth, and diligently provide for it that ver- 
ity is the atmosphere which the child breathes. Never 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 17£ 

speak to the child of lies and ' k necessity lies, ' ' of great 
and small ones, of permissible and non-perinissibie 
lies, on the contrary strongly accentuate the fact: 
^' Lying is lying!" 

Mother, when the door-bell rings, do not tell the ser- 
vant-girl: "You say, I am not at home." On the 
-contrary teU her toi say: "I am not to be spoken to. 7 ' 
And yet thereunto do not require from behind the 
shutter a child deception, when the child stands at 
your side, even if it is ten or more years old. Do not 
give way to exaggerations similar to the following: 
""I have already told you a thousand times that you 
should not so thinly dress yourself. " " You will never 
become an orderly person, because you continually 
leave your things lying around." Never say toi your 
«hild: "Say nothing to father, do not show this to 
him. ' ' This is an evil, vitiating utterance. By it you 
confess that you are not open and true towards the 
father, and you are leading your child to conceal the> 
truth and out of just such a practice lying only too 
often takes its origin. Father, guard yourself against 
this, to cause your chlid to appear ridiculous and 
foolish, "to have the better of it." "Attempt not to 
make it believe something." "Do not impose upon it, 
do not lead it behind the light." Also do not do it in 
a, joke. For by so doing yoai are giving to it a -bad 
example of inveracity. It is something entirely dif- 
ferent when yoai unto a droll, but by it an earnestly 
meant question, give a jesting answer, and when in 



172 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

your cheerful countenance and your entire manner it 
immediately can see, and out of it feel, that you are 
joking- with it. 

Repeatedly one hears the assertion: kt Veracious par- 
ents will also have truthful children." And yet many 
limes Hi is assertion does not prove to be true. It fre- 
quently happens that children of highly respectable- 
parents are given toi prevarication. Very often the 
cause of this lack of verity is owing to the false man- 
ner as to how truth is by them required. For many 
a father, many a mother it is utterly impossible for- 
them to see and to hear anything unpleasant or dis- 
agreeable from their child without overdrawing- ir. 
As for example, a rend in the child's garment, a brok- 
en plate, the loiss of a small piece of money, a silly 
trick, a faulty school-dictation, a few low marks in its- 
studies, a foolish stroke or any other mistake, can call 
forth a flood-tide of complaint, reproach and commo- 
tion oif feeling, which stand in no relation whatever 
to the affair. For children then the temptation is very 
great to paliate and to conceal any inadvertency.. 
Therewith 1he lie many times begins. 

Violently nervous and suffering fathers and mothers- 
are more deceived by their children than the com- 
posed and earnest, even when they are more strict. 
Therefore, parents, endure truth, quietly listen to it. 

CJnto a good "example that you. father, you, mother, 
should give to your child in a love for the truth, this 
also belongs, that you conscientiously fulfil each a 



tite school-child. 173 

j\'Tv given promise. In the Talmud this saying is: 
**If you promise something to a child, then you should 
-fulfil it, or else it will ieam to lie." Should circum- 
stances intervene, that for some unforseen cause you 
wil not be able to fulfil the promise, then give to your 
son, your daughter the reason. The child then exper- 
iences how earnest and sincere you take it with your 
word, and ii will lay bold of the resolution to behold 
just as conscientiously a promise, as something sac- 
redly binding and not to be indifferently made. 

Rule 3 — Carefully watch over the utterances of your child. 

If the child relates something which it has exper- 
ienced, seen or heard;, it should take place right faith- 
folly to the truth. Above all regard this, that it again 
gives as near as p isible the conversation of others. 
If the gasconades then drive it into a corner and ob- 
it to address itself to verity's evidences. Tolerate 
it not that it makes an "x" for a "11." and do not al- 
low this expression to prevail uncensored : "I only 
said that for fun." Also regard this, that when yotur 
child reports or narrates something, ii does riol exag- 
gerate. .Many children do tlTis actuated by an over- 
drawn importance of the matter, and to reap applause. 
Herein lies a near danger, that a feeling for the truth 
■nay be blunted, and that out of the tendency to ex- 
rate, which in the beginning appears harmless, 
the propensity to lie may by and by unfold itself. 
If vou observe that vour child with eood intentions 



174 ™E SCHOOL-CHILD.. 

desires to conceal something from you, e. g., at Christ- 
mas and at a birthday, then press not for an answer,, 
but on the contrary allow to it its secret. Do not tol- 
erate that it promises something which it does not in- 
all earnestness wish to fulfil. Encourage not the 
practice of tattling; since jealousy, grudge or male- 
volence are the motives of this dangerous inclination- 
But insist thereon that the child, when it is asked what 
has happened, who has done something wrong that it 
tells the truth, and make clear to it that this is not 
tattling, but on the contrary veracity. 

Rule 4 — Be gentle in reproofs and punishments. 

How many a child-lie is to be traced back to this-,, 
that the mother for each mistake severely censures, up- 
braids and scolds, and the father for each inadver- 
tency in anger immediately punishes, harshly, and 
almost without consideration strikes. During such 
outbreaks of savagery the child loses its mastery over 
self and the necessary courage unto an open acknow- 
ledgment of its fault. It becomes weak and says in- 
stead of: "Yes. I did it." timidly and tremblingly r 
"No, I did not do it." -Fathers who make it a funda- 
mental rule to follow up each advertency with a pun- 
ishment, must not be surprised when their child some- 
times grasps at strange and senseless utterances. 
Over-excessive severity makes the child timid and 
fearful, insincere and reserved. 

False indeed is the custom of many fathers, when 
the child has received in school a punishment, to 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 175 

sharpen the same by an additional one at home.. 
Thereby will be given to the child an impulse to con- 
ceal and to deny. 

In tlie ineasuremet of a punishment for a lie one 
must take into consideration the actuating motive. A 
lie because of selfishness, enxy, hate and malice one 
punishes more severely than that one arising out of 
a fear of punishment. In the administering of pun- 
ishment less should hinge it self upon the infliction 
in itself, but more upon this, that the innermost of 
the child is affected, making to it sigificant and clear 
as to the except ionableness of the lie. also that unto it 
may flow a horror for it, and call forth in the child 
a conclusion not to again lie. 

Rule 5 — If your child has lied, seek to bring it to a confes- 
sion. 

Beloved father, if your child has made itself culp- 
able through a lie. then indeed take the matter very 
earnestly. Permit not the affair to pass indifferently 
by and unobserved. If you permit the lie to rest in it- 
self as a matter of convenience, then will the child 
mark this and will think in the next prevarication to 
again get off as easy. Then will it lie a third and 
fourth time, becoming more bold and by and by ex- 
change the convicting blush for a brazen defiance. 

It is yqvy important that the child, when it has 
deviated from the truth, acknowledges its prevarica- 
tion : for only then can a betterment be expected. But. 



176 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

father, mother, seek not to obtain this confession by 
threatenings, force or promises. Father, doi not say: 
"If you do not acknowledge it. then this or that pun- 
ishment shall be meted out to you." Mother, say not: 
"If you tell me that you did it, then will i not sax 
anything to father." 

The inquiry, further, so manage that the sense of 
honor of your child may not be wronged. It is best 
that you talk to ii composedly and right quietly in 
the presence of only four eyes. If it denies, then in 
all seriousness and earnestness speak toit: "My child, 
consider! Was it really so?" This often works won- 
ders. 

If you to a certainly know that the child has done 
something wrong, then do' not place it on trial and do 
not place yourself in a position as if you knew nothing 
of it. This on your part would not be truthful, the 
child would, if getting behind matters, become suspi- 
cious of your actions. The most correct way is. that 
you at once place before it its inadvertency, then cut- 
ting off all excuse. If the child makes an open confes- 
sion and manifests sorrow, then forgive it. then also 
set aside every punishment. Do not preach to it a 
retributive sermon, since for long detailed moralizing 
statements the child has neither understanding nor 
patience. On the contrary, confine yourself to a few 
well-meaning and friendly, earnest words. 

However, fall not into this mistake, that you at once 
remit to the child every punishment as scion as it ack- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 177 

nowledges its misdemeanor. There is lying hard by 
this danger that it will look upon this confession as 
an expiatory letter, that it may escape through it 
severe strokes. 

Rule 6 — Sharpen the conscience of your child. 

Father, mother, with its immature mind it is not 
able to comprehend the entire loathsomeness of a lie, 
nor is it yet able to fully survey the corruptible moral 
consequences of this tare. Therefore, to keep it dis- 
tant from this dangerous moral disease, you must in it 
■awaken a firm and strong sensibility for the truth, 
and lead it unto this cognition that it is a matter of 
conscientious duly to tell the truth under all circum- 
stances, and that invariably lying disturbs that bet- 
ter inner self. Above all, point your child to an omni- 
present and omniscent God before whose eyes nothing 
remains concealed, "that the good man out of his good 
treasure bringeth forth good things : and the evil man 
out of his evil treasure bringcth forth evil things. And 
that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall 
eivc an account thereof in the day of judgment." 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 
12 



178 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Slee'py Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

One of the essential things in all human relations 
and life's intercourse, both public and private, is that 
one invariably speaks the truth. In even- business 
transaction, all communications, public utterances 
and common conversation the truth is implied and pre- 
supposed, a tacit promise toi meet this expectation is 
made; were it not so, one would not so contemptibly 
look upon and so despicably shun the liar as being- 
base and mean in character. 

The directly and indirectly occurring baneful se- 
quences affecting society, from a lack of veraciousness 
in intercourse, conversation and other relations may* 
«]*o be considered an obligation to truthfulness. 

Inveracity destroys the confidence of man in man, 
thus jeopardizing public and private interests and 
striking at the very foundations of society. It is per- 
nicious and wholly so in its influences and tendencies. 
Confidence in man would cease, the business of life- 
would be interrupted, all social interrelations and 
communications would be destroyed if falsehood and 
not voraciousness was to become the rule and basis 
of all human converse. 

The individual suffers, no less than th e community, 
from any violation of the truth. The spiritual nature- 
of the individual is also degraded and that ethical 
principle severely weakened, if not destroyed, by every* 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 179 

violation. And at the same time the highest indignity 
is offered to the m >ral nature of others. 

The simple attempt at any deception, imposition 
and infliction of a lie upon our fellows is in itself an 
insult of the grossest nature to whomsoever it is of- 
fered. Every honorable man so regards it, and spurns 
and repudiates the prevaricator. The perpetuity, pros- 
perity, probity and moral strength of the state hinges 
itself largely upon the veraciousness of its citizenship. 
Hence the urgent necessity on the part of every father 
and mother to educate their child in this very exalted 
character-virtue. Therefore: 

Guard Your Child From the Lie. 

"My child has lied to me!' ; A deep sorrow fills 
your heart, father, mother, when you must express 
yourselves thus, and apprehensively ask :" What shall I 
do that it lie not again!" The answer to this question 
is by no means an easy one. Befotre attempting an 
answer, there are three different things that should 
be clear in the minds of the parents concerning the 
lie : (1"! What does one understand by a lie? (2) What 
are the several sources of children-lies? (3) What 
should father and mother do to guard their child from 
the lie and how cure it of the same? The first two of 
these questions we shall attempt to answer in this let- 
ter, and an answer to the third will be found in the 
preceding letter. 



ISO THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

What Is A Lie? 

One must carefully distinguish between an untruth 
and a lie. In both instances truth is violated, since 
that which some one says does not conform w r ith what 
has been stated. If som e one knowingly and designed- 
ly says something, with the aim and purpose to secure 
to himself an advantage or to avoid a disadvantage. or 
to intentionally deceive another, then he lies ; but if he 
iin knowingly, in ignorance and error, says something 
that is not true, then he only repeats what is untrue. 
Much depends upon the will. In the ordinary every- 
day life the distinction between an untruth and a lie 
is not always sharply drawn, and particularly with 
children many utterances are called lies that deserve 
not the name. 

The disposition to prevaricate, among children, is 
a very extended bad habit. Father, mother, do not 
lightly and indifferently take it when this vice shows 
itself in your child. On th e other hand, do not behold 
it too gloomily. The perversion from the truth on 
the part of a child is not to be placed on a parallel 
with that of a grown person. It is not so deep-seated 
with it as with the adult. If a child has prevaricated, 
then one should ask: "Is it inward moral rottenness 
or only an outward spot that can be washed off?" 
Also it is to be considered that the child is not yet a 
finished character, that truth must yet be inculcated 
in it as a character-principle and that this cannot 
proceed without fault and relapse. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 181 

Father, mother, would yo\i guard your child from 
equivocation, or would you heal it of this moral dis- 
ease, then you must first learn to know its roots and 
carefully dig them up. out of which the lie sprouts. 
Therewith we come toi the second question : 

What Are T*e Sourees Of Lying In Children? 

Source 1 — Many children equivocate Because they have a 
lively imagination. 

Imagination-lies are the most numerous among 
quite young children. ' ' Here is a five-year-old boy, 
he earnestly relates how his rocking-horse kicked out 
behind and how he neighed ; and a six-year-old girl 
assures her girl-friend how she had seen the Christ- 
child bodily descend from heaven." Children with 
lively imaginations are inventive and inclined to 
weave readily into their accounts and narrations mat- 
ter contrary to the truth ; they enlarge without know- 
ing it. The parents should not unmindfully pass over 
these advertencies of the imagination, but also not to 
behold in them anything immotral. 

Source 2 — Many children lie out of vanity and ostentacious- 
ness. 

There are children having a natural inclination to 
exaggerate and to overdraw experiences, to appear in 
a favorable light, to curry admiration, and to create 
astonishment and to be praised as heroes and hero- 



182 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ines. Again other children delight to show themselves, 
through witticisms as jokers and cunning fellows. 
Father, mother, gently step upon such dispositions of 
truth-stretching mildly, but yet earnestly, and deter- 
minately warn against, as you emphatically say: "Do 
not exaggerate!" "Leave out talking about your self- 
importance!" "Cut out your pretentiousness -and 
gasconading-" Guard yourselves from imperiously 
rushing upon your child and to cast these words into 
its face : "You lie !" Also you shall not behold there- 
in something objectionable when your child sports it- 
self with other children of like age, jokes with them, 
jests and makes all manner of hocuspocus, in so far, 
that all serves to this end, to provide pleasure, enter- 
tainment and pastime for others. 

Source 3 — Many children through self-delusion and defiance 
prevaricate. 

There are children who, when becoming greatly 
agitated in mind, fall into* a mental condition in 
which they represent occurrences entirely perverted, 
and any wrong that has befallen them, according to 
their meaning, they enlarge it beyond all measure, 
e. g., that the teacher has unfairly criticized, too 
sharply censured or too severely punished them. Fur- 
ther, there are children, particularly older ones, who 
even will yet continue to deny a lapse of the truth, 
when the.y have been fully convinced. Such defiant 
equivocations spring out of an over-strained, self-de- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 183 

pendent feeling and a determined adherence to a false 
view. In both instances you will accomplish more, 
father, mother, with love, calmness and composedness 
than through, scolding and threatening or even 
through punishment. 

Source 4 — Morbidly disposed children are inclined to lie. 

A morbid inclination to deviate from the truth is 
shown by hysterical and weak-minded children. They 
relate what is untrue because their memory-images 
have reversed themselves. Hysterical girls easily in- 
cline to this, to make lies that pertain to generic re- 
lations. The weak-minded child because of its morbid 
brain-develpment is unable to distinguish between 
truth and untruth, what is right and allowable and 
what is forbidden and objectionable. 

Source 5 — Many children lie out of feelings of a false friend- 
ship. 

Such falsehoods originate out of a not yet fully en- 
lightened association-feeling. The child wishes tot 
show its friend and associate a friendship's duty: it 
will not become a traitor, and will not, so to say, break 
its promise. With grown-up youths it appears as an 
affair of honor not to leave a friend orr comrade stick, 
but to help him out of his bad situation. Father, 
mother, be in such instances mild and forbearing ; sep- 
arate the motive (noble-mindedness and meritorious 
love) from the act, praise that and censure this, and 



184 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

place bei'oire your son, your daughter, that one, under 
such difficult circumstances, dare not violate the truth. 

Source 6 — The most numerous children-lies are those arising 
through a fear of punishment. 

The child has beeu disobedient and knows that it 
deserves punishment, and also that it has to await the 
same. The desire at once arises in it to ward it off,, 
and it grasps at the lie, in this, that it declares not to- 
have been disobedient, or this deceptive utterance, 
that it found itself in such a necessity-position and 
could not do otherwise. 

Many a lie out. of the fear of punishment would re- 
main unuttered if in the inquiry a proper proceedure 
had taken place. Father, before you punish your child 
because of some offence, first of all, for yourself, as- 
certain an exact information as to the facts and cir- 
cumstances of its misconduct, in order that you will 
not need to ask many questions. Then do not make 
the fault any greater than what it is ; do not place the 
misdeed as one which must be expiated by the severest 
punishment ; say to your child that an open acknow- 
ledgment shall largely mitigate the severity of the 
punishment, and show it that you still dearly love it, 
notwithstanding its offence. Be assured that in most 
instances, will, if you properly proceed, in the child 
no fear arise, or it will, if any is at hand, suddenly 
vanish. 

Many children-lies can be traced back to this, 
that the mother for each and every inadvertency scolds 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 1 6 "> 

and upbraids, and that father stamps each stupidity 
into a vileness, at each offence becomes violent and iIl 
blind anger at once decrees severe punishment. Ner- 
vous children are then overcome with fear, and lie,. 
but, however, the purpose thereof for them is far dis- 
tant, to delude and to deceive. The fear-lie is a dan- 
gerous error, but no moral lapse. 

Source 7 — Many children lie out of envy and jealousy, out 
of knavery and malevolence. 

It is to be deeply deplored when a child through 
deceptive statements seeks to calumniate and to belit- 
tle the good acts of another child and to place it in the 
shade, when it slanders brothers and sisters, school- 
mates and servants of the household, when it seeks 
under all manner of hodge-podge representations to 
obtain money to spend for delicacies and for the gra- 
tification of others, when it beholds with a calm, glad- 
dened eye and a bold forehead a mishap that may 
have happened to father, mother op to teacher. Envy- 
and malevolent-lies are the most morally deteriorating- 
forms of prevarications in the child-world. 

Father, when your child allows itself to become 
indebted to an inadvertence of this nature, then must 
it feel the full weight o'f your moral indignation and 
it must also feel the entire greatness and heinousness 
of its offence, and indeed immediately, without delay. 
"Whether words are sufficiently far-reaching, or what 
manner of punishment you may decree concerning 



186 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

thes e kind of moral delinquencies, no rule can be of- 
fered; herein you must exercise your own best judg- 
ment. However, one thing dare not fail in the meas- 
ures you may take, that the child must feel that it is 
still loved as much as ever notwithstanding its offence. 
And yet one more word of counsel to you, father, 
mother. If your child makes itself indebted to any 
such hateful lie as indicated in this last paragraph, 
then first of all enter into yourselves and with holy 
earnestness think over what you should best do, that 
not again such an obnoxious tare may shoot upwards. 
Carefully take into review your whole educational 
method, take it upon yourselves to carefully examine 
it with a critical eye, that you may learn what may 
restrain your child from this loveless way of acting 
and thinking, and what may plant into its nature a 
soul-disposition rich in loveliness, friendliness, kind- 
ness, goodness and faithfulness. 

"The man of pure and simple heart, 
Through life disclaims a double part; 
He never needs the screen of lies 
His inward bosom to disguise." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 187 

Sleepy Hollow. 
3>ear Margaret: — 

In this life it lias been peculiarly ordained by Pro- 
vidence that there are few things we must do for our- 
selves and which others will not under ordinary cir- 
-cumstances do for us. One among these several duties 
is the obligation to provide for our physical wants. 
JSvery father and mother owe it to their offspring to 
train them to make, as they reach the years of matur- 
ity, provision for themselves, so as not to be dependent 
upon the labor and charity of others. 

Nature has so decreed it and made provision for it 
by conferring upon humanity the powers and faculties 
for the various pursuits of industry, and attached to 
lionest toil the reward of success, and to idleness and 
thriftlessness the penalty of inevitable suffering and 
want. These are the laws and conditions of our be- 
ing, established by the Creator, fixed and unchange- 
able. There are the fruits of the plow ; the buried min- 
erals of the earth; labor is absolutely necessary that 
these may be obtained. The food entering into the sus- 
tentation of our physical bodies, the material essential 
for our clothing, and the dwellings sheltering us from 
the inclemency of the weather, whatever contributes 
to the comfort, happiness and well-being of man and 
supplies his invariable and innumerable mental and 
physical wants is the product of labor and industry. 
In order that the child may learn to make proper 
provision for these future personal wants and those 



J$g THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

that may in the course of time be dependent upon it r 
several economic virtues are absolutely necessary r 
namely : 

Industry, Thriftiness, Order and Punctuality. 

The first of these qualities which we shall consider- 
in this letter is industry, for, 

' ' In every rank, or great or small, 
'Tis industry supports us all." 

Labor and industry are two virtues which form the 
basis for every qualification, for contentment, happi- 
ness and enjoyment, for the success in the family and 
for the well-being of the community and the prosper- 
ity of the state. 

Eminent men of all times have corroborated this.. 
Frederick the Great has made this acknowledgment : 
''That I live is not necessary, but indeed, that I am. 
active. " And another has made this declaration: 
"Industry is the mother of fortune, and upon the in- 
dustrious God bestows all." Th e celebrated musician 
and composer, Mozart, took care to say: "My greatest 
contentment is to labor." Another eminent in the- 
world's literature writes: "The principal thing is in- 
dustry, for this gives not only means of life, but par- 
ticularly it gives to it also its unique worth." Now 
if 1hese utterances can be accepted as correct and 
true, then must we agree with that great philosopher. 



THE SCHOOL -CHILI >. 189 

Immanuel Kant, who says: "It is of the most vital 
importance that children learn to work." 

It is then also of paramount worth that the parents, 
-as early as possible, make intelligible to the child an 
old educational maxim: "He who would eat must 
work." Children should early be impressed with the 
importance of always being' active, to employ every 
energy and power, to do all things well, and to shun 
no labor and effort in order to attain unto a determin- 
ed end. Hence, father, mother: 

Educate Your Child Unto Industry. 

In the further consideration of this economic virtue 
w e will be pleased to place before you, father, mother, 
in answer to this question : How educate your child 
unto industry? the following observations: 

Observation 1 — Provide for it that it is always busy. 

A child from 6 to 14 years of age does not alone 
want to eat and drink, play and sleep, but also it 
wants to work too, it wishes with its own exertions 
and powers to labor and to produce something. 

Observation 2 — Commit to it, in the home, certain designat- 
ed employments. 

It is of no little importance to commit to the child 
small household offices. Children treasure such duties 
very much and conscientiously discharge the same. 
To the son may be committed the care of the canary 



190 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

bird and the aquarium and the arranging of the news- 
papers and the library ; to the daughter the attention, 
of the flowers and the table-setting, the feeding of the 
chickens and weeding and sprinkling in the garden. 
The son places in order the garden, spading, hoeing 
and also therein sprinkling. The daughter can help 
the mother in the domestic offices of the house, anet, 
the use of the broom, mop, duster and carpet-sweeper. 
The opinion that this or that household duty is not 
becoming for a school-going boy and for a grown-up 
girl has outlived itself. Through domestic labors the 
child learns to know their blessings and necessities ; it. 
experiences how much time and energy, consideration* 
and pains they require, and how they for that later 
life make one practical and skillful. However, do not 
detain the child in its domestic performances any 
longer than what is absolutely necessary. The best 
reward is an extended trust, and this will impel it 
unto a double and threefold effort in the performance 
of its work. 

Observation 3 — Keep, when it is working, distant every di- 
version. 

The child should, when it has a duty to perform,, 
remain with it, and not rest until it has accomplished 
its task. It should set at defiance any divergent wish, 
as e. g., the following: To look out of the window, to 
hold an interview with one of the servants or some on e 
else, to play upon the piano, to read the paper or a 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 191 

book, out of tiresomeness to eat something, out of hu- 
mor to play with the dog or cat, etc. 

Observation 4 — Thereupon "be considerate that, in its work, 
it is happy and cheerful. 

Nothing so cheerfully disposes and so greatly stim- 
ulates that inner impulse to industry, toi further perse- 
verance and unto greater exertion than the results,. 
than the feeling of progress in knowing and in the 
enjoyment of the success. Therefore, neglect not, 
when you are satisfied and pleased with the child, to- 
kindly acknowledge its worthy efforts and to praise it. 
Do not require of it performances that exceed its pow- 
ers. A failure of its efforts will mentally depress it 
and canse it to be sorrowfully disposed. 

Observation 5 — Foster its interest for things for which it is 
talented. 

For learning and something instructive each child 
will finally become interested, be that for languages,, 
science, history or for som e other skilled utility. Upon 
this inclination and mental tendency one must care- 
fully stake and further build. 

Observation 6 — Impress it with the maxim: "Learn Self- 
Exertion. ' ' 

The sense-nature in the child loves the convenient 
and easy sauntering along, but not the strenuous and, 
least of all, that direct exertion upon a determined 



192 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

aim or purpose. If you. father, mean it sincerely 
good with your child, then will you from time to time 
.also give to it occasions in the accomplishment of a 
purpose, to apply all its energies, sometimes adding 
thereunto the last effort. That in place of the decla- 
ration : " It does not go ! ' ' "I cannot do it ! " It shall 
bare place only for this : " I can do what I will ! ' ' Also 
the child will ' accomplish much when it trusts itself 
to do much. And each great performance, whether 
physical or mental, which the child with earnestness 
and ardent endeavor consummates, has in it moral 
worth and is a stone unto the building of its character. 
Impress upon your child the truth that the man who 
consecrates his hours by honest aim and vigorous ef- 
fort to some industrial purpose at once draws the 
strings of life and death, that he walks with nature, 
and that her paths are peace. 

(i Eschew the idle vein, 
Flee, flee from doing naught! 
For never was there idle brain 
But bred an idle thought." 

Respectfully yours, 

ICHABOD CRAXE. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 193 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

In our last letter to you we dwelt upon the virtue, 
industry, as one of the essential elements of human 
prosperity, that the child be carefully trained in the 
same, that it may not be dependent upon others. How- 
ever, industry, while necessary in the aehievement of 
success in any one of life's avocations, will not alone 
suffice. To acquire the means of a livelihood and the 
materia! wealth of the world is but one part of the 
business of life. 

If we expend our earnings as fast as we acquire 
them, there is no provision for the future, nor any 
addition to the wealth of the state, for the state can 
only become rich, not by the earnings of its citizens, 
l)ut by their savings. 

Xo man has a moral right to spend all his income, 
if by so doing he leaves himself or those dependent 
upon him without adequate support. Frugality, asso- 
ciated with industry, together are virtues to this end, 
that we, and those dependent upon us, be indepen- 
dent, and that we in the course of our lives endeavor 
to add something to the material wealth of the state 
by saving something out of our annual pecuniary in- 
come for ourselves. A want of frugality is a sin 
against God and those, dependent upon us. Paul had 
in mind a parental frugality when he wrote the fol- 
lowing to the Corinthians: "The children ought not 
13 



194 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

to lay up for the parents, but the parents foir the chil 
dren." 

The following statistics, compiled prior to the great 
World War, show the number of persons per thousand 
of the several nations mentioned who have a saving 
account and are not spending all they earn : Switzer- 
land, 554; Denmark, -142; Norway, 415; Sweden, 404;. 
Belgium, 379; New Zealand, 360; France,. 346; Hol- 
land, 325 ; Germany, 317 ; England, 302 ; Austria, 300 ;_ 
Tasmania. 380 ; Japan, 270 ; Italy, 220 ; and th e great- 
est country of all, with all its vast resources and al- 
most unbounded possibilities for the accumulation of 
wealth, the United States, averages only 99 persons 
out of every thousand of its citizens who save some- 
thing annually out of their earnings. 

While we are industrious, inventive and money- 
makers as well as charitable with what we make, we- 
are nevertheless a nation of spendthrifts and extrava- 
gant in the nse of money. It is very evident that we 
as a people are lamentably wanting in this one single 
virtue, frugality, which gives strength to the economic- 
life of a nation. Therefore, patrons: 

Educate Your Child Unto Thriftiness. 

Thriftiness is a virtue that must already be learned 
in childhood. Frugal is" that one who knows how to 
circumscribe expenditures and who accumulates pos- 
sessions, that at no time he may suffer want and once: 
have means to help others and himself. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 195 

Covetousness as much as extravagance promotes 
evil. Actual contentment one only realizes through 
frugality, through good management, labor, diligence, 
order and a reasonable gratification united with a 
charitable feeling. Money in itself is no guarantee 
for happiness, but the opinion that it does not con- 
tribute to happiness is false. A secure, agreeable live- 
lihood very much promotes the unfolding of the apti- 
tudes of the heart and disposition. Unto a good, prac- 
tical education then unqualifiedly belongs the accus- 
toming of the child unto thriftiness. 

The training unto frugalness is als a pre-eminent 
mean unto character-culture. The* frugal child learns 
to bridle desire and appetite, to govern itself, to mod- 
erate its wishes, to stifle the rising inclinations to un- 
necessary things, to renounce passing gratifications. 
Each act of thrift is a victory which the child gains 
over evil inclinations. 

Father, mother, you must not conclude that frugal- 
ness comprehends within itself only the manner in 
which one deals with money, and that you have done 
sufficient when you have presented to your child a sav- 
ing-box and encourage it to lay by each penny, every 
nickel and dime until it has a sum of money sufficient- 
ly large enough to start an interest -bearing account in 
a bank. 

Thriftines deals with far greater things than this. 
It means to cultivate in the child the habit of taking 
car e of its own possessions and to carefully regard 



l()<j THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

the property of others, to protect it from avarice and 
penuriousness, from greediness and extravagance, to 
give to it a self-dependent and a practical life-direc- 
tion. 

Accustom your child to give to other children of its 
favorite foods and playthings, to contribute some- 
thing, such as money or clothing, during unfortunate 
occurrences, such as fires and floods, accidents and 
sickness, to make a present to some poor child at 
Christmastide. Tolerate no game of chance for mon- 
ey. Labor against the destroying inclination of the 
child as you admonish and punish it, whenever it wil- 
fully tears anything or soils its clothing. See to it 
that it goes about economically with its own things, 
from lead-pencil to the most costly book, from the lit- 
tle piece of ribbon to its Sunday clothing. Permit it 
not that it tears open a package or anything else 
wrapped up, only out of necessity, in such a manner 
that the wrapping-paper and the tie-string are of no 
more use. Diligently observe that it has order in all 
its things, that it keeps and preserves each piece in 
order that nothing be lost and soiled. Prevent it from 
purchasing unneeesary and superfluous things. Point 
it to this proverb of Solomon: ''Wealth gathered by 
vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathereth by 
labor shall have increase." Prov. 13: 11. And also 
to the word of Sirach: "He that contemneth small 
things shall fall little by little." Sirach 19: 1. Im- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 197 

press upon its mind the following sayings: "He that 
honoreth not the penny, is not worthy of the dollar. " 
" Saving is a greater art than earning." "First 
through save-what comes, 'Have- what/ 'Know-what/ 
'Can-what/ ' Money-what/ " 

Respectfully yours, 

Tchabod Crane. 



198 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. * 
Dear Margaret: — - 

Some one lias wisely said * ' that order is the founda- 
tion of all good things and punctuality the greatest 
economy of time. ' ' One of the most important lessons 
that a child should early learn, that it may succeed 
well in after life in whatever vocation it may enter, 
is the art of economizing time. 

Time is the only estate of which everyone comes 
into possession through the judicious and wise ar- 
rangement of Providence, and yet how many only 
learn to prize it when nearly squandered, yes, perhaps 
when far in the evening of life they begin to think 
of redeeming what time there is left and of spending 
their evening hours wisely, and to carefully husband 
the flying moments. Unfortunately habits of indo- 
lence, listlessness, indifference and procrastination 
once firmly fixed cannot be suddenly cast off, and the 
man who has wasted the precious hours of life's seed- 
time finds that he cannot reap a harvest in life's au- 
tumn. 

There is a truism that cannot be too often repeated 
nor too deeply imprinted upon the child-mind, that 
lost wealth may be by industry and thriftiness re- 
placed, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temper- 
ance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever. There- 
fore parents: 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 199 

Teach Your Child the Love of Order and Punctuality. 

The love of order and punctuality is in all the re- 
lations of life a profitable and indispensable quality. 
As to how important it is that one in all things has 
order, is expressed in the following- familiar verse: 

"Order, order, love her and she will save thee time and 
labor. ' ' 

Popular sentiment says: "Order rules the world!" 
And the eminent Swiss poet, Tegner, made this decla- 
ration: "Order is the lever of labor, that with ease 
lifts the heaviest burden; disorder is a clock without 
hands, which goes and goes, and yet no one knows 
what time it is." Order is the outward law of life, 
is the base of all virtues and the soul of business. Our 
time absolutely demands it. All our social relations, 
business pursuits and various callings bring this with 
them. 

The love of order is the highest worth for each per- 
son, is a treasure that yields a hundred-fold interest. 
Order is the sister of frugality and th e root of pros- 
perity. Order lightens for us life, saves for us time 
and trouble, vexation and chagrin. 

Father, mother, the duty is yours to early accustom 
your child unto order in all that it has to do. The 
obeying of the words: "A place for everything and 
everything in its place" must for it become a second 
nature. Tt must plaee each article that it has used, 



200 THE SCHOOL-CHILD, 

its clothing, books and plaything's in the designated 
place. A jacket or shoes lying about, an oblique- 
standing chair or couch in a cleared-up room must be- 
to it a horror. 

A child that leaves lie a knife, a shears and other 
articles there where it may have used these last, that, 
when it wishes to go out, must gather its things out of 
every corner and from all ends,, that allows its school- 
material in the evening to lie loosely about and must 
then the next morning, immediately before going to 
school, first pack them, is not by any means order- 
loving. 

To an order-loving child also belongs, that to it all 
remissness and slovenliness is disgusting and incom- 
patible, that all that it does is accomplished as well 
as it can, that it performs no work only half or three- 
fourth and also docs not undertake a new task until 
the first is consummated. 

Parents, take not the disorder of your child under 
protection by saying: "Youth hath no virtue.'/ 
Strengthen not its inclination to disorder by this, that 
you require the servant girl to clean up after it and 
to pick up its things. Many times indeed unusually 
gifted children, and such who are of a very active and 
sprightly nature, are inclined to disorder. They must 
be particularly and sharply watched and restrained. 
The principal thing, however, is that you go before 
your children with a good example and that the spirit 
of order permeates your entire household nffairs. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 201 

Punctuality. 

This virtue is closely related to that of order. The 
truth is, neither of the two virtues is thinkable without 
the other. Benj. Franklin says: "Dost thou love life? 
Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life 
is made of. ' ' W. E. Gladstone remarks : ' ' Believe me 
when I tell you, thrift of time will repay you in after- 
life with a usury of profit beyond your most sanguine 
dreams, and that the w T aste of it will make you 
dwindle alik e in intellectual and moral stature, be- 
yond your darkest reckonings. " 

Horace Mann, an eminent American school-man, 
exclaims : * ' Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sun- 
rise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty 
diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are 
gone forever ! ' ' 

He who is not punctual dissipates his own time and 
that of others. The common saying of the American 
is: "Time is money!" Beneath this utterance there 
is a profound truth ; time is far more than money, 
hereby, that one in the proper division and careful 
employment of time, and that one does everything in 
the right time, can save and acquire much money, but 
through no sum of money, be it ever so large, can one 
purchase time. Lost money one can again by industry 
and thriftiness regain, but lost time never. Out of all 
this it becomes very clear how important it is that par- 
ents accustom their child early to punctualness. 



202 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Father, mother, train your child into the habit of 
frequently consulting the clock. Keep at it that it 
rises early, at the proper time takes its breakfast and 
sets out for school, that it enters not there too late, 
that on the home-road it does not loiter and. indiffer- 
ently saunter along and come too late for dinner. Ob- 
serve carefully this, that it speedily and successively 
performs its home school-labors and not to put off any 
work until it is too late; retires to bed in the even- 
ing at a certain fixed time ; that herein it seeks honor, 
when going to call for someone or when having an 
engagement with someone at a certain designated 
hour, not to allow the party to wait, but rather to be 
at the place of appointment five minutes too early 
than one minute late. 

Much ill-humor and vexation arises out of a poor 
time-division of the children. Through censuring and 
command nothing is attained, but only through pre- 
cautionary methods. According to the school's recita- 
tion-periods, the time-plan of the home should be ar- 
ranged; a period for school-studies, piano-exercise. 
the daily pleasure-walks and for entire freedom. The 
program should be committed to writing bv the child 
and hung up in a conspicuous place on the wall, and 
the mother must have it in her head. There are chil- 
dren who do everything without any one concerning 
themselves about it. at the proper time. But there 
are far more forgetful, absent-minded and imprudent 
children, to whos e assistance the parents must come 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 203 

if they would tliat they shall form habits of order and 
punctualness. 

A seasonable beforehand looking-af ter and remind- 
ing avails mor e than an after-ecnsuring. When the 
■child is to take a piano-exercis e at 5 o'clock, it is cer- 
tainly better and easier for you to say to it at the 
hour of five : 4 ' Lay everything aside and in its proper 
place, ' ' than for you at 6 o 'clock to chidingly remark : 
''Wherefore are you not again ready for your exer- 
cise?" The censuring questions: " Wherefore have 
you not done this ? " ' ' Why have you not earlier pack- 
ed your portfolio?" "Wherefore did you not make 
yourself ready?" then will become superfluous. 

Father, mother, earnestly think of this: The love 
of order and punctuality is faithfulness in trifles, and 
this virtue forms the foundation for the education of 
the child unto an independent, positive and firm char- 
acter. 

1 ' Think naught a trifle, though it small appear, 
Small sands the mountains, moments make the year." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



2(M THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

In the material life of this world money plays an 
important role. Its possession ean be for man as rich 
in blessing as fatal in destruction. Paul truly pointed ta 
this latter danger when he remarked to his friend Tim- 
othy : * ' The love of money is the root of all kinds of 
evil.'' For there is no sacrifice that man will not 
make for money. H e will face the belching cannon,. 
clog his brains with the dust of the coal-mines or 
with the impalpable powder in the grinding of steely 
roast himself in the white heat of the puddling fur- 
nace, work in arsenic, lead, phophorous, powder or 
any other substance dangerous and fatal to life, blast 
with dynamite and gun-powder, live amid malaria 
and risk his soul's peace in this world and the next 
for gold. No toil is so exhausting nor danger so ap- 
paling that man will not confront the one and under- 
go the other if the pay is sufficiently high. Even the 
preacher, who is supposed to be "not greedy of 
filthy lucre." his call nevertheless swells "from the 
still small voice" to a trumpet peal when it comes 
with the offer of a double or three-fold salary. Har- 
assing doubts and indecisions before the logic of a 
five or ten thousand dollars in an annual salary with 
parsonage and auto added thereunto vanish like bub- 
bles on a fountain. The parish that is made up of 
rieh merchants, brokers, millionaire bankers and of 
wealthy capitalists is seen "to be a larger field of la- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 205 

-bur" when viewed through a gold spectacles, and the 
""call to such a field its very obvious. 

lint notwithstanding the part tliat money piays 
.among men for good or for evil, parents cannot have 
their children to grow up as citizens of a world in 
which money plays no part. Then the duty devolves 
upon them to early accustom their children unto a 
rational and independent use of money and to exercise 
the art of going about with this dangerous friend and 
enemy of civilized man, to handle money in the right 
manner, to spend it at the proper time and to save it. 
The later one begins with this, the harder is the in- 
struction and the more eostly the tuition-money. Pa- 
trons, the only way to learn to swim is by going into 
the water, and the only way to teach to 30111* children* 
the use of money, is by giving it to them, henee : 

Give to Your Child Pocket-money. 

Unto the parents two ways are standing open 
through which they ean allow money to flow to the 
child for its own use. They can, in this manner, remit 
certain sums of money from time to time to it : When 
if needs a school-book, writing-tablet, a lead-pencil, 
when it joins in a school-excursion or a hike, when it 
wishes to present some small gift to brother or sister 
on Christmas or on their birthday, etc., or they can 
•give to the child a weekly fixed money-allowance as 
pocket-money, with which it shall be obliged to defray 
certain purchases. For this latter way there is more 
reason than for the former. 



206 THE SUHOOli-CHILD. 

Only, when the child receives a fixed suni, even 
though the income be small, it becomes self-dependent 
in the nse and spending of money, it learns to regulate 
and to accommodate itself, to arrange its expendit- 
ures according to its income, to bring its desires in 
unison with the treasury and to stretch itself accord- 
ing to the cover. Whoever does not learn this in child- 
hood and youth, learns it not in the days of his after- 
life. 

A further advantage herein arises that the child 
learns the purchasing power of money, and that it 
becomes trained to go about with its tilings carefully 
and economically. When it must pay for the lost 
pen-holder, the earved-up lead-pencil and the soiled 
writing-tablet out of its own treasury, then these 
things will have for the child an entirely different 
value than when father or mother provides for their 
reparation. 

To this may be added that also to the child the de- 
sire to possess some money is indwelling, and if it is 
only a nickel or a dime, to gratify small enjoyments,, 
to purshase for itself cherries, pears, peaches, apples,, 
cake, candy, post-cards or something of a similar na- 
ture. 

Lastly, but by no means the least, through the re- 
mittance of pocket-money t the child the possibility 
is promoted for it to experience the pleasure of get- 
ting something with its own means. What an exalted 
feeling' animates it when it, at a birthday or Christ- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILI). 207 

mas. can out of its own money purchase something 
and present it to father, mother, brother sister or to 
some indigent child- Therefore, father, mother, give to 
your child pocket-money, but in so doing' observe the 
following suggestions : 

Suggestion 1 — Give to your child rather too little than too 
much pocket-money. 

A fixed sum cannot be determined upon. The how- 
much must be regulated according to th e age of the 
child, the discretion and circumstances of the parents. 
It is, however, decidedly to warn against American 
extravagance and indiscretion in giving too freely. 
Her e is a boy twelve years old. To him is monthly 
given three dollars. This is entirely too plentiful a 
supply. He has fundamentally no necessary expenses,, 
since his maintenance is provided for in the home and 
all the essentials in school are being paid for him by 
the father. The consequences are, he does not know 
what to reasonably begin to do with his three dollars- 
and squanders or spends them for unnecessary and 
trifling things. Too much leads to the misuse of money 
and to extravagance. 

And yet more foolishly do those fathers deal who 
to their twelve-year-old "fourth-grader" and to their 
fourteen-year-old "junior daughter" hand out month- 
ly from five to six dollars and more pocket-money and 
the mother inconsideratelv adds to this behind the 



208 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

back of the father this and that piece of money. He 
who in childhood and youth accustoms himself unto an 
extravagant spending of money in junketing, for emp- 
ty nonsense, sodas, candies and picture-shows, will 
later become a not-do-vvell swaggerer, a pleasure-seek- 
er and a spendthrift. 

Father, in the beginning let the pocket-money 
Supply that you hand out to your child be small. The 
younger it is, th e smaller must be the allowance you 
place at its disposal. Also it is a good practice that 
you in the beginning prescribe for it what it shall 
purchase with its pocket-money. You can enjoiin upon 
it something like this: "This week you buy a writing- 
tablet and a lead-pencil and the rest you put into your 
saving-box." First after that it has learned to know 
the value of money and to treasure it, then dare you 
permit it to freely exercise its own discretion in the 
disposition of its pocket-money. 

. For the spending of money impress upon the child- 
mind the following fundamental maxims: "First one 
must provide for the necessary things before one can 
think of things unnecessary and of pleasure." Sec- 
end: "That no man is rich whose expenditures exceed 
his income: and that no man is poor whose income 
exceeds his expenditures." The child must not pur- 
chase for itself out of its money-allowance any cake, 
candy, bon-bons, sodas, the boy not any plaything nor 
any subject for his den-collection, and the girl must 
not buy any ribbon, nor any trifling toy as long as 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 209 

books, tablets, writing- material or any other necessary 
School-supplies are not at hand. Many a grown one 
never gets out of his pecuniary embarrassment simply 
because he never in youth learnd to deny unto himself 
something which he instantly wished to have, but yet 
right well could have done without. 

.Suggestion 2 — Give to your child pocket-money at the begin- 
ning of its school-entrance. 

The saving-box of the child before its entrance upotn 
school-duties belongs to the management of the moth- 
er. But as the child enters school then must this 
change itself. From now on small regular repeated 
expenses will arise. 

Suggestion. 3 — Exactly determine what expenses your child 
shall satisfy out of its allowances. 

To avoid all differences of opinion and misunder- 
standing relative to the expenditures of the allotted 
pocket-money, between you, father and mother, and 
for the guidance of the child, it should be definitely 
known what necessities must first be purchased and 
Avhat after-wishes may be gratified from the same. You 
can, e. g., designate that it therefrom satisfies: The 
cost of writing paper, pens, pen -holders, lead-pencils 
and other school-material, the expenses for the repair- 
ing of damages and broken objects, belonging either 
to th e school or to the child, for which it is responsi- 
ble, the expenditures for hikes and school-excursions, 
14 



210 T11 -U SCHOOL-CHILD. 

further, the cost for trifles in dress and outward dec- 
orations, such as ties, ribbons, pins, medals and school- 
pennants, etc. If living in a large city and the dis- 
tance to school great, then trolley-fare may be includ- 
ed, the outlay of money for birthday and Christmas 
gifts for parents, brothers, sisters and friends, for fav- 
orite amusements and gratifications. 

The older the child grows, the more appreciable be- 
comes this pocket-money allowance, the more freedom 
belongs to it in the expenditure of the same, but the 
more also there unfolds an unanswerable feeling for 
its proper use. 

Suggestion 4 — Pay promptly the pocket-money allowance. 

Father, in the beginning give to the child its pocket- 
allowance weekly, but later monthly and fix a certain 
day upon which the payments are to be made. Keep- 
well in mind the appointed time. But if you once 
happen to forget it and you are reminded of your in- 
advertency by the child, then excuse your oversight 
immediately and cheerfully pay. 

Suggestion 5 — Insist upon it that your child keeps a careful 
memoranda of its receipts and expenditures. 

You must make it intelligible to your child that it 
does not receive the pocket-motney as a free possession, 
and that it must give an account of all its receipts 
and expenditures to the very cent. Do not tolerate it 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 211 

that your child says : ' k This is my money and 1 can do 
what 1 please with it. ' ' Oblige it to keep a record of 
each item even down to the smallest expenditure. This 
is a good means to prevent th e child from making 
purchases of unnecessary, foolish and forbidden ar- 
ticles. For many a child it is quite an easy matter 
to expend twenty-five cents for dainties, but it is not 
so easy for it to acknowledge it in black upon white 
paper. The blessing accruing to the child out of this 
exactness in recording and accounting for its receipts 
and expenditures remains a confirmed virtue for its- 
whole after-life. 

Would you, father, mother, that your son at one 
time becomes a faithful, providing householder, your 
daughter an economic housewife, that both later keep 
well together their possessions and expend them unto- 
usefulness and blessings unto themselves and others, 
then teach them as children to carefully book all their' 
receipts and expenditures even down to the penny. 

Suggestion 6 — At certain designated time-periods oblige your" 
child to make to you statements of its receipts 
and expenditures. 

Control is unconditional command. Every eight or 
fourteen days, or at least once a month look carefully 
through the expenditures of your child. By so doing' 
you will acquire for yourself an instructive disclosure 
as to certain tendencies and as to the money-spending 



212 ™E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

inclinations of your child. You learn whether it rather 
goes to the fruit-vender than to the confectioner, 
whether it makes present*, whether it is also charita- 
ble, remembering' the poor, and whether it avoids un- 
necessary expenditures and whether it saves anything. 
If the child does not in your judgment spend properly 
its pocket-allowances, then you have the opportunity 
to instruct it and to give to it pointers, how it could 
have avoided this and that expenditure and how it 
could have spent many a dime and quarter to better 
advantage. In this manner you educate your child 
unto a stewardship and a housekeeping with its own 
possessions. 

Suggestion 7 — Tolerate it not that your child, when its al- 
lowances run short, "borrows from brothers, sis- 
ters and comrades. 

Here let this motto earnestly prevail : "Accustomed 
when young, don e when old." Out of the little debt- 
contractor in time a larger one is made. Teach your 
child to circumscribe its wishes, desires and wants 
within the sphere of its means at hand for disposal. 
The stretching after the cover must pass over into its 
own flesh and blood. Also it must learn that a good 
housekeeper does not spend down to the very last cent, 
on the contrary always has a saved dime laid by for 
an unseen expenditure. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 213 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

Be plain ! This was a choice saying of a father unto 
whom the welfare of his children lay close to his heart 
And, truly, he was right ! For in the immediate pres- 
ent, when luxury, the seeking of material and sense- 
gratification is on the increase, then indeed in child- 
education there is an urgent necessity to emphasize 
this fundamental maxim :''Be plain ! ' ' With simplici- 
ty are closely related those other qualities of charac- 
ter, namely, unpretentiousness, discreetness, content- 
edness. artlessness, rectitude, constancy and righteous- 
ness. 

The few Avants and stern integrity of life were a 
strong factor entering largely into the lives of our 
sturdy forefathers and grandmothers, who won for us. 
untrammeled by an, arbitrary hereditary sovereign 
authority, those innate and inalienable rights to lib- 
erty. freMom and the eternal rules of order as ordain- 
ed by heaven. The beautiousness of their discretion 
and nnpretentionsness, the earnestness of their recti- 
tude and artlessness of lif e and character are all grace" 
ful heritages to every manor-born American, and they 
should excite his admiration and in him stimulate 
the same plainness of life. Hence, patrons: 

Educate Your Child Unto Simplicity. 

Father, mother, indeed many times you ask each 
other this question: "How shall we make out of our 



214 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

child a happy person ? ' ' Certainly you will not by this 
means, that you offer unto it gratification upon grati- 
fication, that you decorate its body with ornament 
and tinsel and spoil its stomach through confections 
and dainties. But educate much more your child unt 
plainness, then the double purpose shall obtain. You 
will by so doing accomplish this, that later in each 
life-situation it easily can accommodate itself to its 
environment; since it is free and independent from 
a hundred different disposable things. In th e second 
place, you enhance its powers of gratification ; it finds 
also joy and pleasure in small and simpler things. 
A person who is accustomed to many wants does not 
consider the. larger pleasures, but always complains of 
abus e and bitterness, always feels tiresome and never 
is satisfied. Children are naturally plain and content. 
A child hand is readily filled and a child-heart is eas- 
ily delighted. Now then, father, mother, what shall 
you do that your child may ever remain thus? 

Do not gratify each and every one of its wishes for 
food, clothing, play, pleasure and amusement. Do 
not heap upon it all manner of playthings, books and 
pictures. Do not encourage it to expect a present 
from you in every visit you may make to shop or store. 
Do not hand to it a dime for this and a quarter for 
that ever t y time it asks. Junketing is of evil ; it tempts 
to other vices. Cloth e your child plainly. Nonsense 
And ornamentation poison the child-nature. Do not. 
?nake out of it a coxcomb or one vain of dress. Do not 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 215 

take your child with you unto gatherings which are 
only calculated for grown persons, such as theatres, 
operas, concerts and rehearsals. 

Do not permit it to take part in children-clubs and 
children-balls, which are often an expense to grown 
ones from which they derive no benefit whatever. 

Father, mother, in the education of your child unto 
simplicity, take as your rul e this command: " Learn 
to deny and to overcome your desires!" The oftener 
you gratify the sense-inclinations of your child, the 
more you enhance coveteousness, the more will it fol- 
low the impulse of its humor and inordinate longings 
and the weaker becomes the power for self-govern- 
ment and self -discipline. If you desir e the happiness 
of your child, then keep it close and simple, and guide 
it to take pride to renounce of its own free will certain 
allowed gratifications and pleasures. 

''Give me a book, give me a face, 
That makes simplicity a grace; 
Robes loosely flowing have, as free; 
Such sweet neglect more taketh me 
Than all the adultries of art." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



216 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Among the qualities of mind and heart which con- 
duce to worldly success and happiness there is no one, 
the importance of which is more real, yet which is so- 
generally underestimated at this day b}' the young, 
as courteousness — that feeling of kindness, of love and 
deference for our fellows which expresses itself in. 
pleasing manners. 

What a person says or does is often an uncertain 
criterion for the judgment of character. It is in the 
way which it is said or done that furnishes the best 
index of personal character. It is by the incidental 
expression given to the thoughts and feelings, rather 
than by deeds or words, that we prefer to judge the 
man or the woman, for the simple reason that the 
former are involuntary. The manner of doing any- 
thing, it has been truly said, is "that which makes 
the degree and force of our internal impressions; it 
emanates most directly from our immediate or ha- 
bitual feelings; it is that which stamps life upon ac- 
tion." Father, mother: 

Educate Your Child Unto Courteousness and Good Manners. 

Certainly, father, mother, you entertain the wish 
that your child at some time later shall be received 
in delightful favor everywhere, be able to mov e grace- 
fully in every oivcle and understand how to make it- 
self entertainingly agreeable in everv association. If 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 217 

you* desire this, then must you early begin with the 
same and already during the school-period thereon ob- 
serve that it at all times shows itself agreeable and 
courteous and cultivates good manners. Excellently 
writes Helene Stockl concerning this character-virtue : 
"Whereunto needs the child fine manners? The prin- 
cipal thing is that it lias a good heart ! says many an 
one. True, a good heart is the principal thing, but 
this cannot be harmed by courteousness and good man- 
ners. Your son may possess all the knowledge of the 
world, and yet will he. if his clumsy, awkward manner 
hinders him to make it of value in the right way. win 
therewith a very few friends. Your daughter can 
have the best heart in the world, when the inner love- 
worthiness fails in the outer, then will she always 
stand in the shade." 

Popular applause praises courteousness in the fol- 
lowing aphorisms: "Good grace ornaments and costs 
noithing. " "Courteousness adorns more than costly 
clothing." "Courteousness goes before beauty." 
Profoundly worthy of remembrance are the following 
words of Goethe: "There is no sign of courteousness 
that has not a deep moral foundation." Good breed- 
ing is the outflow of a true inner decency. The truly 
decorous one keeps distant from everything offensive, 
rude and hateful, and avoids all that can injure his 
fellow creature. 

Now there are natural and conventional rules of a 
becoming decorum. The former ar e such unto which 



218 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

every person comes of his own accord, while the latter 
on the contrary are such as become fixed and inculcat- 
ed into the child-character by training and education. 
As for example, that one rises or stands in the pres- 
ence of elderly persons, and that one does not cough 
into the face of another, this each one learns of him- 
self, but that a pupil honors his teacher, when it goes 
to the right side, the boy doffing his hat to a lady 
on the street and offering to her his seat on the trolley 
or steam car, upon this not everyone comes of himself, 
this must be told to him. 

There is also a sham-courteooisness and decorum 
that ministers and makes compliments and affects fine 
manners, but nothing comes from the heart and there- 
fore nothing goes to th e heart, and which is nothing 
more than a mask behind which indifference, self-in- 
terest and a low sentiment secrete themselves. Par- 
ents, of this kind of a courteousness guard your child ! 
A genuine courteousness springs from the necessity 
and custom to meet all in a friendly way and winning 
manner, to show oneself towards everyone without 
any respect of person, whether rich or poor, distin- 
guished or common, forbearing and agreeable, affec- 
tionate and sympathetic. Tt is the expression of a 
refined sentiment and an honest, upright nature and 
true love. Unto such a courteousness educate your 
child. 

However, parents, this end you can only realize as 
you go before it with a srood example. Upon the good 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 219 

custom, good decorum and refined tone dominating 
in the home all depends. When your intercourse is 
always considerate, affectionate and friendly together, 
with all the members of the household and friends, 
acquaintances and also strangers, then will this invol- 
untarily transmit itself upon your child. 

Then, father, mother, from little up accustom the 
<jhild to prefix to all its requests an "If you please" 
•and an ki l thank you" for the most trivial act towards 
it. Do not allow any rudeness in expression, any vul- 
gar, reproachful terms, no violent up-starting towards 
others. Accustom it to be courteous towards every 
jaiember of the household, also towards the servants. 
Do nott tolerate it that its interrelations with these 
be imperious or rough, or that it even abuses or insults 
them. The child should esteem, in the servant, ripen- 
ed years, who already is its superior through his age 
#nd experience, and it shall learn that also persons of 
humble circumstances, who are honest, just and faith- 
ful, virtuous and useful, deserve honor and respect. 
The child shall for each service, which the servant 
renders, render unto it thanks, and must not think: 
""Why, for this they are paid!" 

If you, father, mother, educate your child unto 
<courteousness. you by it, at the same time, provide for 
it the best for your own peacefulness and for a happy 
family-life. Hateful habits have upon the inward life 
of the child a deep-grasping influence. The child thus 
accustoming itself from tender youth up to address the 



220 TIIE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

parents as "beloved father," "beloved mother," will 
never acquire the habit to use towards them rude and 
unkindly terms, such as ' 4 Shut up ! ? ' " Mind your own 
business ! ' ' 

If you, on the contrary, permit discourteousness on 
the part of your child to got uncorrected, be it towards 
you or towards strangers, then it dare not surprise 
you when the mouth of the grown son and grown 
daughter does not always speak words of respect and 
reverence. 

True, courteoiusness is the vestibule for that true 
principle, virtue, the good, it is that qualified mean 
in order that the good may be reached. Therefore, 
father, mother, hold your child unto courteousness. 
for then you dare hope that it will struggle upwards 
to the good; but if yoiu behold it with indifference 
when it is discourteous and unmannerly and rude, 
then must you fear that it will become envious and 
quarrelsome, disrespectful and unthankful, arrogant 
and imperious. 

What Rules of Demeanor Should Your Child Observe? 

These rules of good breeding and eourteousness that 
your child should observe and which shomld pass over 
into its own flesh and blood, becoming unto it a second 
nature, are divided into two groups, such as deal with 
what it should not do and what it should do. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 221 

What It Should Not Do. 

1st — The child should not offensively loud hawk and blow its 
nose. 

2d — It should not spit upon the floor or sidewalk. 

-3d — It should not throw paper, fruit-seeds, eatables and other 
things in the room or upon the stairway. 

4th — It should not, when it goes to the table, and on other 
occasions, take places of honor as the grown persons. 

5th — It shall not with an uncovered mouth yawn or cough. 

€th — It shall not with a full mouth drink or speak. 

7th — It shall not while eating smack or sip loudly and not 
take too large a morsel into its mouth. 

8th — It shall not dip the morsel into the mustard-pot or the 
salt-cellar. 

9th — It shall not pass back foods once touched. 

10th — It shall not carry the food on its knife to its mouth 
in eating, but to use the fork. 

11th — It shall not place bones, peelings, seeds or things of 
similar kind upon the table-linen or throw them under 
the table. 

12th — It shal not place its elbows upon the table and to prop 
itself upon them. 

13th — It shall not in the presence of others pare its finger- 
nails and comb its hair. 

14th — It shall not while sitting upon a chair rock and see- 
saw. 

15th — It shall not in sitting cross its legs one over the other. 

16th— It shall not be discourteous to servants. 

17th — It shal not laugh at deformed persons and make de- 
tracting remarks and mimic them. 

18th — It shall not use words of abuse. 

19th — It shall not while another is speaking, bluntly inter- 
rupt. 

.20th — It shall not slam the doors and race up and down the 
steps. 



222 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

21st — It shall not in a loveless manner tease, push or strike 

brother, sister and other children. 
22d — It shall not in playing continually desire the principal 
role and to violate the play-rules. 

What It Should Do? 

1st — The child shall to every request prefix an "If yoit 
please" and a "Thank you" upon the receipt of some- 
thing. 
2d — It shall morning and evening greet father and mother. 
3d — It shall at each meal-time appear at table fully dressed. 
4th — It shall in a friendly manner greet everyone, also the 
servants and also the plain mechanic and laborer who. 
are actively engaged about the house. 
5th — It shall, when about to meet an acquaintance upon tha? 

street, be prepared a few steps in advance to greet, 
6th — The boy shall, in saluting upon the street, lift his hat 

or cap and bow. 
7th — The girl shall, when greeting in the home, politely cour- 
tesy. 
3th — The child shall, when going alongside of a grown per- 
son, allow to the grown person the right side. 
9th — It shall, when an attendant greets, also greet. 
10th — It shall permit older persons, when entering a room,, 

to go before, and in anticipation open the door. 
11th — It shall on trolley and steam cars, when an older per- 
son has no seat, get up. 
12th — It shall, when anyone comes to visit, open the door for 
the person, take, if a gentleman, his coat and hat, it 
a lady, her wraps, and offer to them a chair. 
13th — It shall so seat itself that its back is not turned to> 

any one in the room. 
14th — It shall of father and mother, when they come in th«> 

house, relieve them of basket, packages, etc. 
15th — It shall also of other persons, without being requested,, 
readily relieve them, thus sparing them the trouble. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILI). 22$ 

16th — It shall quickly pick up any article that has fallen 
to the floor. 

17th — It shall before entering its own and the home of 
strangers carefully clean its foot-wear. 

18th — It shall before a strange room rap and must not en- 
ter until the invitation, "Come in!" is heard from 
within. 

19th — It shall in its departure and in passing out of the room 
at the door once more gently greet. 

20th — It shall, when obliged to sneeze or cough, hold its hand, 
before its mouth. 

21st — It shall in the company of grown persons (not includ- 
ing the narrow home-circle) only speak when it is 
asked something or is drawn into the conversation. 

22d — It shall look the person directly in the face with whom. 
it is conversing. 

Beloved parents, we have here a lotng- row of rules 
on good breeding* and polite demeanor. But if you 
will examine them, then will you wish that your child 
would observe all of them. Now, this is not so bur- 
densome as you may at first think. Have patience! 
Be indulgent when otnce it may violate or repudiate 
one or the other of these rules. Instruct it then in a 
peaceful and benevolent tone. The results shall fol- 
low far beyond your expectations. 

"The churl in spirit howe'er he veil 
His want of forms for fashion's sake, 
Will let his coltish nature break 
At season's through the gilded pale." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane, 



-22-1- THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 

Dear Margaret : — 

(live to me the man who jocund drives his team 
arield or as he follows the plofw merrily sings- Or be 
his occupation whatever it may be, clerk, carpenter, 
laborer or mechanic, he is equal to any of those who 
follow the same pursuit in silent sullenness. He will 
do more in the same time — he will do it better — he will 
persevere longer with the most difficult and tedious 
task. Watch, if you please, the man marching to the 
marshall strains of the band, no matter what his age, 
he is scarcely sensible of the fatigue. We are told that 
the planets make harmony as they revolve in their 
spheres. 

Wondrous then is the strength of a cheerful and 
gladsome heart, entirely beyond all calculations its 
powers of endurance and effort, and in the promotion 
of goiod cheer in others. Efforts, to be permanently 
useful, must be uniformly gladsome — a spirit all sun- 
shine — graceful from every joyousness — beautiful be- 
cause bright. Therefore, father, mother: 

Cultivate in Your Child Cheerfulness and Gladsomeness. 

"There are persons whom we might even envy. 
They are those that, in all that happens to them, per- 
ceive good. The heavens may be black, they find a 
cloud-rend through which gleams a ray of hopeful 
light; the snn may be invisible, they console fhem- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 225 

selves with the thought that it is still standing in the 
liea vens. Out of the eyes of such persons gleams the 
ray of cheerfulness. In their hearts, in their souls 
there is sunshine." With these words an eminent 
pedagogical writer praises the happy and serene na- 
ture. Already the wise Solomon has said: "He that 
is of a cheerful heart hath a continual feast/' Prov. 
15 : 15. "A cheerful heart is a good medicine." Prov. 
17: 22. Oiie of the greatest of life's artists, Seume, 
says: ''Earth's most precious gain is a joyous heart 
and cheerful dispositions." Popular opinion confirms 
this, as it declares: "Cheerfulness and gladsomeness 
season evevy meal." "To be cheerful gives a beauti- 
ful bloom." "A merry heart makes good blood." 
"When a happy humor fails, here something is not 
in order." "Out of a healthful joyousness an exalt- 
ed life-sentiment originates." Gladsomeness animates 
and invigorates: also it makes good and beautiful. 

Cheerfulness is the noblest fountain of joyousness 
and life's happiness, a cheerfulness of disposition en- 
hances the mind-powers and opens up every blossom 
of the inward man. Tts soil germinates the most beau- 
tiful of human virtues : Contentment, plainness, confi- 
dence, a participation in the joys and sorrows of oth- 
ers, energy and courage. 

Blithesomeness and yonth belong together as spring- 
time and the blossom's lustre, like the rose and its fra- 
grance. Unto the child cheerfulness is as necessary 
as the daily bread, as the sunshine and the rain to the 
15 



226 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

flower, and laughing- is to it as natural as breathing- 
and eating. Its inborn joyous emotions and its glad- 
someness wish to live out life freely as with the gold- 
finch and the 'ark. A poet's declaration to you, fa- 
ther and mother, is : 

"Children should be blithesome, sprightly as the butterfly,. 
Youth 's joy is sunshine for that later age. ; ' 

The happier the child is, the better it thrives men- 
tally and physically, the greater will be its protection 
from the evil, and the more readily shall good be 
awakened and nurtured in it. Well know the saying 
of Jean Paul :." Cheerfulness the heaven, under which 
everything thrives, poison excepted." 

Which has the more delight to learn, which grasps 
more quickly for the books, which allows itself to be 
very little disturbed through difficulties in its eager- 
ness to make progress, which is moire social towards 
brothers, sisters and schoolmates, which clings more to 
father and mother, approaches them with more love 
and trust, is more readily prepared to obey them: 
The ill-tempered and aversive child, or the happy and 
gladsome, the skipping and merrily singing one? 

Sometimes one hoars it asserted that cheerfulness 
and gladsomeness must be inborn, must lie in th e tem- 
perament and that not each one can have these virtues. 
This is only true to a certain degree. The capacity- 
thereunto each child possesses, and the parents should 
carefully improve and foster this. Now that this may 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 227 

be intelligently performed, it would be well for you, 
father, mother, to take careful cognizance of the fol- 
lowing' rules: 

Rule 1 — Provide for it that your child always feels physic- 
ally well. 

In what manner can this best take place? Only a 
healthful child can truly be happy and joyous, skip< 
and jump, laugh and joke, shout and jubilate. A sick 
and afflicted child is sad. fretful, morose, ill-humored^ 
whining and complaining. 

Rule 2 — Be yourselves joyous and happy. 

From you, father, mother, cheerfulness and warmtlt 
should overflow upon the child. Above all this ex- 
hortation should prevail with the mother. A joyous- 
look from your eye, a happy, cheerful word out of your 
mouth places the child in a proper humor. Permit it 
not to suffer under your anxiety, and yet far less be- 
cause of your ill-humor and discord! Doi not become 
surly and gruff, irritated and scold not when your 
child once may disturb you. when resting, conversing 
with a visitor, in the writing of a letter, during the' 
reading of the paper, journal or novel. A mother witlr 
a cheerful nature; such as the foster mother of Wash- 
ington, whose name today is enshrined in the hearts of 
countless millions, is for a child an incalculable and, 
inestimable blessing. 



228 THE SCHOOL-CHILD, 

Rule 3 — Keep your child continually employed and allow it 
to play. 

Allow it to dig and to plant in the garden, to sow 
and to sprinkle; permit it to collect stamps, coins, 
shells, stones, plants, etc. ; allow it to manufacture for 
itself playthings, for in these it finds more pleasure 
than in those purchased; permit it toi carve, draw, 
paint and model. Go with it walking and undertake 
with it excursions and short journeys. Rejoice when 
you see your child playing with other children, laugh- 
ing and singing, jumping and skipping, shouting and 
romping with them. Scold not, storm not when it gets 
boisterous and unrestrained in its plays, and when 
sometimes the noise becomes frightfully loud. 

All this is not wrong and incorrect, but on the con- 
trary it is youth's love and youth's exuberance. In- 
jure not the pleasure of your child in its self -free ex- 
ercise by the continual interjection into its sport: 
"Child, this or that will never do!" "You are making 
too much noise!' 7 "You are getting the house all 
topsy-turvy ! ' ' 

Rule 4 — Willingly provide some pleasure for your child. 

Gladness is the best assistant of a strict discipline. 
Both belong together. Strictness in discipline without 
joyousness misses its purpose, and cheerfulness with- 
out discipline degenerates. Gladsomeness is not bound 
to money. An affectionate word, a caress of the moth- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 229 

er, a pleasant countenance and joke of the father, a 
little story, a merry poem, a flower, a pleasure-walk, 
etc., influences to happily and to cheerfully dispose the 
child. Each stout-hearted joy a bath for its soul. 

Father, mother, is it your wish that your child 
shall once be in life happj r , then educate it unto cheer- 
fulness and gladsomeness, then provide for it a joyous 
youth, then and only then shall your son be a free 
man and your daughter a suny mother ! 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



230 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

In the great book of Dame Nature, what lessons 
in store for us, if we are willing to humbly bow at her 
academic shrines and permit her to unlock the store- 
house of her treasured-up knowledge. From the germ- 
inating seed and the growing plant, out of every flow- 
er, tree and shrub we shall draw divine sweetness; 
through the cunning and ingeniousness of the crea- 
ture in the construction and secretion of its home and 
nesting place, in the harboring of its young and in 
the providing of food for itself and offspring, herein 
we have displayed the marvelousness of the plan and 
intelligence of their Creator. 

As we scan the heavenly page, there we behold a 
-print from the pen of God's perfection in glittering 
letters oif gold ; look at the world with its countless 
variant forms of teeming life and we see a blossom of 
His beauty; turn to the sun as it hangs yonder, illu- 
minating the universe, and we have a spark of His 
wisdom ; as we wonderingly stand on the shores of the 
vast ocean, we see before us a bubble of the sea of 
His infinite power. How beautiful and truly the words 
odP the poet convey to us the verity of these nature- 
lessons : 

"To him vrho in the love of nature holds 
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks 
A various language; for his gayer hours 
She has a voice of gladness, and a smile 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 231 

An eloquence of beauty, and she glides 
Into his darker musings, with a mild 
And healing sympathy, that steals away 
Their sharpness, ere he is aware." 

Parents, 

Cultivate in Your Child a Love for Nature. 

Father, mother, often wander with your child out 
in God 's free nature ! Go with it through garden, park, 
meadow, field and forest, and thereby lead it unto an 
observation of nature. Teach it to distinguish the 
different trees of the garden and forest, point out to 
it the various cereals of the field, such as rye, wheat, 
barley, oats and corn, also the different varieties of 
grasses, as timothy, clover and alfalfa ; make it a confi- 
dant of the various wild flowers of the meadow, field 
and forest, direct its attention to the manifolclness of 
the leaf and the blossom-forms, and the different 
vodces of the birds. Upon each pleasure-trip the child 
will see something that will interest it. as how the 
squirrel scampers up the birch, oak or hickory, and 
then how it leaps from one tree to another, how the 
robin builds its nest in the maple hard by the house, 
how the catterpillar has eaten bare the cabbage-leaves, 
how the spider spins and hangs its web. etc. Awaken 
in your child a sense and feeling for the upward and 
downward wave of the wind-agitated field of grain, 
for the beauty of th e flying clouds, the rainbow, a sun- 
set, morning- and evening-red, and for the sublime 
splendor of the starry heavens. 



232 TH ^ SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Parents, point your son, your daughter unto the 
changing of the seasons of th e year, and unto the beau- 
ties of each one : How in the spring every tiling upon 
the earth lives and stirs around us, how the trees are 
veiled in blossoms and the air is filled with their fra- 
grance, and how above us there is singing and jubila- 
tion; how in the summer the days grow longer, how 
the light dream-like hangs over hill and vale, village 
and town, and how God covers the table for all His 
creatures and in love and in delight satisfies everyone ; 
how in the autumn the air is so clear and the heavens 
jso blue, hoAv the fruits upon the tree and bush ripen 
and the leaves change their green into gorgeous vari- 
gated colors ; how in the winter : 

"Out of the bosom of the air, 
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, 
Over the woodlands brown and bare, 
Over the harvest fields forsaken, 
Silent, and soft, and slow 
Descends the SNOW." 

How pond and river show forth in a glistening ice- 
covering, how th e eye sweeps over an endless sun- 
illuminated, flickering mantle of white snow, and how 
the trees stand there as if sugar-coated or set with 
glittering diamonds. Aye, to see all this and simply 
to contemplate the same is for the child wonderful 
and beautiful and affords for it pleasure and delight. 

As your child watches the scurrying- eaterpillar 
seeking some retreat for his wintry sleep, as it be- 
holds the autumnal gathering of the blackbirds on the 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 233 

neld and hears the gossiping swallows on the house- 
top, all intent upon seeking some warmer clime, ere 
the winter-storms begin; as it dreamily watches the 
dreary flight of the water-fowls, wending their way 
unto the rugged rocks and icy waters of their bleak 
northern homes ; as it gathers the rich brow nut from 
th e frost-opened burr, through these nature-lesoais. 
lead your dear child to Him who guides through the 
boundless sky the certain flight of the birds in their 
migrations from zone to zone and who by His summer- 
heat and autumn-frosts ripens th e nut and fruit, that 
He, in the long, long way it must eventually tread 
alone, will direct its footsteps in the right ! 

Father, mother, earnestly consider that for your 
child the best foundation for its thinking and for its- 
appreciation and enjoyment of the beautiful in art 
and poetry are clear nature-intuitions. The richer it 
is in these nature-conceptions and the moire nature's 
rhythms have passed into its mind, the better it is pre- 
pared to understand and to enjoy the works of our 
artists and poets. And one thought more must be 
emphasized : An affectionate contemplation of nature 
influences also deeply the moral and religious feelings 
of a child and is a more beautiful path leading direct- 
ly to the divine. Nature becomes to it the great in- 
structress of the greatness of God, His omnipotence,, 
wisdom and goodness. Therefore, beloived parents, 
early foster in your child a love for nature and assid- 
uously deepen it. 



234 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

You thereby give to it a shield against many a temp- 
tation and a comf ortress in sorrowful moments and 
you provide for it a bubbling fountain of pure joy- 
ousness, a happy soul-rhythm and true poetry. Moth- 
er Nature, the only book that has upon its pages a 
deep, thoughtful and ennobling content, and to read 
in this book, your son, your daughter dare ncut be- 
come wearied, and must ever listen to the gladsome- 
ness of the world of nature around it. 

* ' Is this a time to be cloudy and sad, 

When our mother Nature laughs around; 
When even the deep blue heavens look glad, 

And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground f 

* • There are notes of joy from the hang-bird and wren, 

And the gossip of swallows through the sky; 
The ground-squirrel gayly chirps by his den, 
And the wilding bee hums merrily by. 

* ' The clouds are at play in the azure space 

And their shadows at play on the bright -green vale, 
And here they stretch to the- frolic chase, 
And there they roll on the easy gale. 

4 ' There 's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower, 
There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree, 
There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flower, 
And a laugh from the brook that runs to' the sea. 

• • And look at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles 

On the dewy earth that smlies in his ray, 
On the leaping waters and gay young isles; 
Ay, look, and he'll smile thy gloom away." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 235 

Sleepy Hollow. 



-Dear Margaret 



During one of my pastorates I was located for a 
number of years in the immediate vicinity of a pri- 
vate deer-park. We, in our outings and recreation - 
-excursions, made frequent visits to this restrve. The 
•owner, lik e myself, was a great lover of nature, and 
particularly of its animal life. During one of these 
jaunts to the park he informed me that he had just 
recently received a new occupant into it and was anx- 
ious that I should see it. He called the animal-care- 
taker. The keeper was shortly on hand, and making 
a few guttural sounds, soon' out of the depths of the 
forest and across the commons contingent to it there 
came a prince of the species Alces americana, or 
Moose-deer, with the palmated antlers of his great 
head lowered as if ready for action. 

The owner, keeper and I were standing some distance 
from the fence of the enclosure, but as he approached, 
I advanced, not only to meet him, but also more close- 
ly to see him. They were looking for his usual stunt 
:at the approach of strangers too near his quarters. 
.As I advanced, I noticed on the outside in the shade of 
the fence a sweet, tender, green grass growing. I 
readied clown and plucked a large morsel of it, hold- 
ing the same between the stout wire-meshes, and as he 
«ame up at once accepted my proffer. We walked up 
and down the enclosure; I in gathering the grass and 
lie in greedily devouring it. We soon became friends. 



236 TilE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

He finally allowed me to stroke his head and to touelt 
his great antlers, and seemed pleased to see me do this^ 
"Well, well," remarked the owner, "see what a lit- 
tle kindness wall do ! We expected to see a very much 
frightened man jumping back as he struck the fence 
with his powerful horns, but instead of showing his 
usual angiy mood at the too near approach of a 
stranger, he seems very much pleased with your pres- 
ence and has forgotten his ferociousness through the 
generous manner in which you met and greeted him." 

We enjoyed each other's company for a short season, 
and I must here acknowledge that he manifested more 
good animal-sense than man)- a piped common sense 
upon being humanely treated ; feeling that he must not 
too far trespass upon good will, he made a grateful 
grunt, then with his head up and in an entirely dif- 
ferent mood and disposition, disappeared into the 
woody depth of his forest retreat. 

The incident led me into a train of thoughtful re- 
flection; I asked myself: When shall the cream of hu- 
man kindness so tame the wild beasts of the forest and 
field and the birds of the air that the ecstatic - vision 
of the prophet will be even measurably realized in 
which "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the 
leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf with 
the young lion and fatten together, and a little child 
shall lead them?" When shall man's inhumanity to 
man and animal cease in the making of countless mil- 
lions to groan and to suffer? When shall man fully 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 237 

learn that ''Jehovah is good to all : and his tender mer- 
cies are over all his creatures *' ' Over that creature 
Which lias no power to change a bad master for a. good 
■one; no voice to utter complaint ; no means foir getting 
redress for its wrongs and cruelties afflicted upon it. 
Mother, the answer to these several questions lies 
largely with you. Your child should be taught as it 
begins toi lisp its first prayers -at thy knee that it is 
sinful, cruel, wrong and degrading to abuse or to mal- 
treat one of God's helpless birds, beasts or insects. 

"Shame on the mothers of mortals 

Who have not stopped to teach 
Of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes. 
The sorrow that lias no speech." 

Father, mother, 

Teach Your Child to Love the Animals. 

Jean Paul has made this declaration: "The child 
should learn to hold sacred all animal life!" This 
utterance, parents in the education of their child, 
should have continually before them. 

Father, teach your child to love the animals and to 
be kind to them. When you in the summer g with 
it out on pleasure-trips, direct its attention unto the 
interesting life and activity of the insect-world, unto 
the swarming of the bees and the buzz of the bumble- 
bee, unto the diligent working of the ant, and the 
eager haste of the running beetle, unto the trifling 
play of the butterfly and the whiz of the dragon-fly, 



238 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

the chirp of the cricket and the call of the katydid r 
unto the whistling of the partridge and the trill of the. 
lark, unto the cawing of the crow and the mournful 
note of the turtle-dove, and point it to this, that every 
living thing is a creature of a benevolent and wise God, 
Father of all. 

Plant deeply into the heart of your child an aver^ 
sion for the killing of .an animal anywhere. No crea- 
ture, whether ant or worm, whether spider or fly r 
whether bug. butterfly,f rog or toad, shall not unto your* 
child appear too insignificant in the great household 
of nature. Carefully thereon observe that it will turn 
aside from every little insect or worm crawling in or 
crossing its path. Dei not tolerate it that your son en- 
gages himself in the making of collections of bugs and- 
butterflies, for the killing of these insects cannot take- 
place without pain and animal-maltreatment. How- 
ever, to this you can readily consent, to bring hom e a; 
caterpillar, to feed it and to observe its metamorphose 
into a chrysalis and finally into a butterfly. 

Father, never give to your son as a gift an air-gun, 
or a flobert rifle, for you cannot see anything resem- 
bling love by sighting over a gun-barrel, nor do yon 
find affection or kindness by peering into it. Rifles 
and guns are but instruments of torture and means 
for the development of cruelty. 

When in the winter the garden, field and forest are 
covered with deep snow and the feathery singers can 
find nowhere food, then shall vonr ehild scatter seeds- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 239 

and crumbs upon the window-sill, porch and balcony 
or in some convenient place in the garden otr field, 
and rejoice as it sees bluebird and robin, snowbird 
and sparrow, partridge and lark coming in flocks and 
eagerly picking up the crumbs and seeds. As your son 
grows older encourage him in the spring to build bird- 
boxes and to hang them on out-houses, poles and trees 
in and about the yard and garden, where the martin 
and the wren can nest. 

Do not tolerate it that your child teases an animal, 
no, not even in fun, and keep it as far as you possibly 
can from the slaughter of domestic animals. The as- 
sociation of your child with living creatures is of the 
greatest educational value. If you own a dog, a cat 
or a canary bird, then entrust their care to your son 
or your daughter. Through the necessity to provide 
for such dependent in the denial of time that must be 
made and the attention given, love and interest will 
be awakened and will be strangely reciprocated by 
the dumb brute. 

One cold wintry evening as I was doing the barn- 
chores, I heard a faint mew coming from the yard. I 
at once hastened in the direction whence the sound 
came. T found a poor frightened and half -starved 
kitten, which had strayed from its home or been 
turned out by unkind and pitiless hands to shift for it- 
self. I gathered up the cold and shivering little crea- 
ture, took it to a warm fireside, provided for it a good 
warm supper of bread and milk, then out of a lap- 



1M0 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

robe and horse-blanket made for it a warm bed in the 
buggy, where it snugly slept for the night. The next 
morning, bright and early, little pussy was up to meet 
.and greet me as I came to perform the barn-duties. 

We, in the course of time, became very much at- 
tached to each other, and I called my newly found 
friend "Jeffy," and eventually as the evenings came 
and went, Jeffy would come, after his supper, expecti- 
ing me to put him into his muff-shaped blanket-bed. 
As he would crawl down into his warm covering he 
would peep out at me, his eyes smiling and he would 
purr and purr, the only medium God had given him 
wherewith to express his gratitude. 

But as time went on a sad moment entered our 
pleasurable relations. One bright spring morning my 
-Jeffy did not make his accustomed appearance. I 
called and called, but no answer came; he was no- 
where to be found about the barn, his bed was empty, 
I hastened to the house, went to the front porch, where 
he was wont to play and to meet us. There I found 
him all crouched together, groaning and moaning in 
the throes of death. Some time during the night he 
was taken sick and in his illness worked himself to 
lli is part of the house seeking help. There he was, 
head down, cringing to the floor, his dear life fast ebb- 
ing away. "0 Jeffy, Jeffy, my Jeffy can never again 
turn over for me ! " Aye, in the depth of his suf- 
fering he still remembered his morning act of friend- 
liness, he made the effort, and in this last act of gra- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 241 

titude, ere any restoratives could be administered, he 
■died. 

We gently shrouded the body of the little waif and 
-with tear-moistened eyes silently and gently laid it to 
rest in a quiet nook of the garden, reflecting upon the 
wards of that large-hearted apostle, who prayed for 
""the deliverance of the creature from the bondage 
of corruption unto the glory of the children of God." 
I recalled vividly the question of the kindest and most 
"benevolent of teachers at whose feet I long with de- 
light have been sitting, when I mark the cheapness 
at which animal life is valued : "Are not five sparrows 
sold for two pence? And not one of them is forgotten 
in the sight of God." I bowed, muttering the words 
of Southy as I left alone forever my Jeffr: 

"Fare thee well! mine is not a narrow creed; 
And He who gave thee being did not frame 
The mystery of life to be the sport — 
Of merciless men! There is another world 
For all that live and move — a better one! 
Where the proud pipeds, who would fain confine 
Infinite Goodness to the little bounds 
Of their own charity, may envy thee." 

Father, mother, deeply impress upon the heart of 
your child that the greatest service we can render to 
God is by rendering service to those who are His, and 
that one of the profoundest utterances of His Son, 
that we may avert the judgment of heaven, is : i ' Bless- 
ed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." 
16 



242 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

"Yea, all the pity upon earth shall call down a curse upon 

the cruel: 
Yea, the burning malice of the wicked is their own exceeding 

punishment, 
The angel of mercy stoppeth not to comfort, but passeth by- 

on the other side, 
And has no tear to shed when a CRUEL MAN IS DAMNED! » » 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 243 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret : — 

Young and old, great and small, high and low de- 
light in beautiful flowers. No one feels himself at- 
tracted to them more than a child. And upon this nat- 
ural inclination parents should make certain calcu- 
lations. Encourage and guide their child unto a love 
for flowers. There are three good reasons why parents 
should be earnestly inclined thereto : Because of the 
moral, intellectual and healthful results accruing 
therefrom. 

"Wonderful truths and manifold as wonderful 
God has written in the stars above; 
But not less in the bright flowers under us 
Stands the revelation of His love, 
And with child-like credulous affection 
We behold the tender buds expand; 
Emblems of our own great resurrection, 
Emblems of the bright and better land!" 

Patrons, then : 

Cultivate in Your Child a Love for Flowers. 

The cultivation and care of flowers exercises a salu- 
tary influence upon the disposition and character-cul- 
ture of the child. "Wliile the result does not immedi- 
ately manifest itself, yet it nevertheless is forthcom- 
ing, for while it hopes and waits, it learns persever- 
ance and patience. Further. th e association with 



244 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

flowers nurtures its love for this favorite of the 
plant-world, promotes its sense for nature and elevates 
its estimation for it. In order to educate the child 
to highly regard plants and particularly the flower, 
there can be no better way than frequently to point 
out toi it the process of its unfolding, to show it how it 
grows, blooms, bears fruit, then withers and dies down 
and to allow it to know that. lik e the animal, it is a 
living essence. 

A child that has reared flowers and other plants 
and with them, as its own, has shared joy and sorrow, 
will not permit any debt of vandalism to be charged 
to it, will not wantonly break off blooming branches 
from trees and shrubs, will not gather bunches of field- 
and forest-flowers and after a short time tear them 
into fragments and cast them upon the highway, will 
not commit misdemeanors on cultivated garden-beds 
and be given to the disfigurement of trees along the 
highway and upon public grounds and parks. 

Also through the cultivation of flowers the know- 
ledge of the child is enriched. It sees in the germina- 
tion how the seed changes itself, how the buds, leaves 
and blossoms unfold themselves, and learns how each 
development in the evolutions of the life of th e plant 
follows certain invisible fixed laws. 

If you, father, mother, possess a garden adjoining- 
the house, or if it is a shrubbery, encourage your child 
industriously therein to work. Permit it to dig, sow, 
plant, weed, tie up. sprinkle and harvest. Its own 



THH SCHOOL -CHILD. 245 

flowers bloom and scent for it again as tine as others* 
The radishes it sows, the beans it plants and the cab- 
bages it sets taste to it again as good as those you may 
raise or purchas e from the market-gardener. Besides 
this, garden-labor is very healthful for boys and girls. 
Digging, hoeing, planting, sprinkling, weeding and 
clipping necessitates a manifold exercise of the body 
Avithout over-straining it. The activity in free, pure f 
sunny air calls forth a healthful appetite, colors the 
cheeks roseate red and makes the child joyous and 
happy. 

In the beginning give to your child but a small plot 
of ground, and then first, when it has learned to culti- 
vate this and during the summer kept it in good order, 
then make for it room for more beds. Provide for it 
good gardening tools : A spade of medium size for dig- 
ging up the soil, a smaller one for planting purposes 
or a gardener's trowel, a rake, a hoe and a sprinkling 
can. Leave to your child the arranging, planning, 
working and planting of its own garden. The more 
self-dependent it can manage and therein act, the 
greater will be its energy and perseverance. 

What flowers shall your child cultivate in its gar- 
den ? In this one must be governed by age and exper- 
ience, whether your child is 6 to 10 years old or al- 
ready older. In the first instance it should not plant 
too many varieties and only such should b e selected 
that require little cultivation and rapidly unfold 
themselves and that produce large and beautiful flofw- 
ers, rich in coloring, such as the Marigold, Pansy, 



246 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Snapdragon, Phlox, Larkspur, Nasturtium, Amaranth, 
To these may be added in later child-age: The Petu- 
nia, Verbena, Lobelia, Balsam, Aster, Gillyflower, Lu- 
pine, Carnation, Primrose, Crocus, Hyacintha, Lily, 
Tulip, Narcissus, Zinnia and the Mignonette. 

Father, direct thereon your child that it have in 
view a "perpetually blooming garden," such an one 
which from early joyous spring until the late sunny 
autumn days, without interruption, shows forth in 
beautiful flowers. In the springtime there should be 
early in bloom: Ammone. Crocus, Tulip, Hyacintha, 
Gladioli, Tuberose, Lily and Aconite. In June therein 
should radiate gorgeous brilliant colors as the follow- 
ing : Catch-fly, Peony. Iris and Rose, and before these 
Catch-fly, Peony, Iris and Rose, and before these 
cease blooming therein should appear bright Gillyflow- 
ers, Nasturtiums, Phlox, Poppies and the Imperial Lily. 
During the last two summer months, Toothwort, Asters 
and Snopdragons and in the beginning of October, 
Scarlet Sage, Japanese Anemone should decorate the 
beds. Also in some selective places in the garden 
Sweet Peas and Dahlias may be successfully culti- 
vated. 

It affords to children much joy and pleasure when 
they can hand over and present upon fitting occasions 
a bouquet of flowers of their own cultivation to par- 
ents, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends and to teaclier. 

Not all children are so fortunately situated as to 
have a garden which they may lay out for themselves. 
Many must content themselves with flower-culture in 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 247 

pots and boxes. Also room-gardening is not so pleasant 
and invigorating as gardening in the open. But it 
nevertheless has its advatages. The llower-wards in 
pots find themselves in greater nearness to the child; 
they can by it be much oftener and more closely 
observed, and thus in a higher measure excite its 
interest. Each day it observes whether the life in the 
stem is bestirring itself. Each leaf in its development 
will be carefully noted. Every bud will be with a joy- 
ously animated countenance greeted. And what pleas- 
ure it finds when the first bloom appears ! Such a na- 
ture-observation, such a self -absorption in a piece of 
nature 's occurrence has great value. Thereby the child 
learns that it is with flowers as with children. They 
need sun, love and cheerfulness. Father, mother, 
whether you encourage your child to cultivate flowers 
in garden-beds or in pots and boxes, forget not to im- 
press upon the plastic child-mind the beautiful moral 
in the following stanza : 

"How short, sweet flower, have all thy beauties been! 
And how they bloomed, and no more are seen: 

So human grandeur fades, so dries away; 
Beauty and wealth remain but for a day. 

But virtue lives forever in the mind, 

In her alone true happiness we find: 

The perfume staj^s although the rose be dead, 

So virtue lives, when every grace is fled. " 

Respectfully yours. 

Ichabod Crane. 



248 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

There is no getting along neither in the home nor 
in the school-room in child-education without praise- 
and censure. Both must, however, take place in a 
proper manner. To use properly these educational 
means is not so easy and simple as it may seem at first 
observation. Many a child through -false praise or an 
unjust censure has never been bettered, but on the 
contrary seriously perverted. 

Praise is an acknowledgment, which has in view 
this: To encourage the child to go forward upon an 
entered way leading to its advancement and success, 
and the recognition of some meritorious performance- 
and commendable virtue. But, father, mother, the- 
question still remains : 

How Shall You Praise and Censure Your Child? 

Praise. 

In the employment of this educational mean we 
would suggest to you parents, the careful observance 
of the following rules: 

Rule 1 — Praise not the mental powers and faculties of your 
child. 

Many fathers and mothers are wont to praise, in the 
presence of their child, its understanding, its power 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 249 

of quick apprehension, its capacity of memory or its 
talent for this or that branch of study. This is indeed 
foolish. They, thereby, make the child vain and haugh- 
ty. It will ascribe unto itself an advantage which it 
should recognize as a gift of God. Parents should only 
commend the gifts and talents of the child when the 
purpose is to encourage it in the making of a still bet- 
ter application of them. 

Rule 2 — Praise not too much your child. 

With many a father and mother it has become a 
habit toi praise the child at every opportunity. This 
to the child is pleasing, flattering its self-sufficiency, 
it ministers unto an over-estimation of its superiority 
and makes it conceited, arrogant, proud and vain. 
"Constantly repeated praise in the face of the child 
is poison to the young heart." Therefore, father and 
mother, be sparing with your praise. Do noit praise 
the child when it simply has done its duty, only 
praise it when it has accomplished something extra- 
ordinary and uncommonly exerted itself, consummat- 
ed an act of kindness and has shown itself heroic and 
very brave. 

Rule 3 — Praise your child little through words, more through 
mien and look. 

Little should the child hear of praise, but rather 
the more see and feel it. Out of that friendly manner 
of vour relations to it it should know that you are 



250 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

very much pleased with it and rejoice because of its 
-diligence and good conduct. 

Bule -A — So praise your child that it perceives the praise as 
an outflow of your love. 

Father, mother, if you feel yourselves prompted to 
praise your child, then do it in such a manner that it 
notes that it is to your heart's necessity to express 
to it a word of encouragement and do not make this 
merely in words, on the contrary make this known 
more by acts and demeanor. Particularly in two in- 
stances is such praise in place. First, when the child 
is inwardly deeply impressed by feeling itself in a 
disposition in which it lays hold of the best and nob- 
lest resolutions, here you may support its effort 
through an encouraging exclamation, e. g., " Right so, 
my child !" "Noble.!" "Bravo!" "Thus go on!" Sec- 
ondly, when -it, after a false step or after a sometime 
indulgence in its humor, takes a new step unto better- 
ment. 

Censure. 

The right use of this educational mean almost requires 
as much tact and skill as that of praise. Therefore, 
parents, permit the following rules to be placed be- 
fore you as way -markers: 

Rule 1 — Justly Censure! 

Before you censure your child first investigate 
whether its doing and not doing is proceeding out of 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 251 

an evil inclination or out of indifference or over-hasti- 
ness. Before you censure, seek as to whether you can- 
not excuse it. The censure must not appear to the child 
as a decisive sentence; it shall much more feel and 
understand that it did not properly conduct itself, 
consequently earned your displeasure. Censure not 
the child itself and its propensities, on the contrary 
only its doing. Instead of saying: "You are bad!" 
"You are an entirely disobedient child!" "You are 
a liar!" speak to it as follows: "You should have pre- 
sented this false step, you should not have been dis- 
obedient, you should not have lied." Do not in your 
censuring exaggerate and do not make use of expres- 
sions that are too strong. Say not, if the child for once 
only has misbehaved : ' ' You are the most ill-behaved 
child!" "No child is as naughty as you are!" Or if 
your son has for once shown himself idle: "You are 
and always will be nothing!" Immoderate censure is 
like unto an arrow that is shot too high, flying beyond 
the mark, and also contrary to love. 

Hule 2 — Censure not too much. 

This advice directs itself in the first place to the 
mothers. Particularly to those who! in censuring find 
mo end. thereby making the child hard-hearing, ill- 
fmmored and ill- willed. Here is a mother, her child 
can do what it will, it does nothing right, She speaks 
In one continued strain: "Do stop making so much 
noise!" "Do not throw everything about!" "Step 



252 T11E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

more lightly!" "Do for once be quietly seated- '*" 
' 4 How you place your legs!" "How you hold your 
hands ! ' ' " Continually must one censure you ! ' ' " But 
you do not at all listen- 1 ' "Censuring you I must yet 
worry myself toi death!" Such a mother, when asked 
as to the deportment of her child, thus she complains : 
"I certainly am severe; I talk the whole day, but 
with the youngster, with the girl, nothing can be un- 
dertaken." In censuring the force and emphasis lies 
In the shortness. Tiie fewer the words, the better. 

Father, mother, permit your attention to be directed 
yet to two faults. If your child deserves censure, 
then let its pronouncement be but once. If you cast 
up to it again and again a fault and if you count with 
every new misbehavior all the earlier ones, then will 
your child say to itself : "This is unjust, for this I have 
already been exhaustively reproved." If your child 
after several corrections manifests a betterment, then 
do not censure everything at once, on the contrary, 
one thing after the other. You will then come more 
quickly to the purpose than if you are going to better 
all by one stroke. 

Rule 3 — Censure not too sharply. 

Father, mother, when you must censure your child, 
then do not do it in such a manner that it becomes 
discouraged and loses confidence in itself. This can 
easily happen, if you in behavior-lapses of your child 
use words too sharp and harsh and paint in colors too 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 253 

black, when you along side of that which is to be cen- 
sured do not also recognize the good side, and when 
.you, as you compare your child with other children, 
put it down as. being worse in its behavior than these. 
Father, guard yourself against ridicule; it is one 
•of the most dangerous educational means. It embit- 
ters the heart of the child, aggravates it in mind, 
awakens suspicion and timidity and can erect between 
.you and your child an unbridgablc gulf. Never say 
to your child when it does not quickly grasp a mat- 
ter: "Naturally you will not apprehend this, you are 
"thereunto to dumb." Readily can it happen that 
such a remark will fix itself in the brain of the child 
as a firm representation. The child then believes it- 
self to be really inefficient and loses all courage unto 
further effort. Endeavor much moire to implant the 
thought that one, in order to know, only needs to 
firmly will. 

Rule -4 — Censure your child "beneath four eyes. 

As with grown people, so also children, have the 
desire to appear before strangers in an advantageous 
light. Therefore, avoid the admonition of your child 
in the presence of others, and when imperative neces- 
sity demands it, then do it, as much as possible, with- 
out giving offense. You will then spare its honor and 
consciousness. If you declare your censure in the 
presence of only four eyes, then will it appear to it 
anild and effective. If, however, you impart it in the 



254 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

presence of the third pair of eyes, then Avill it appear 
for it hard ; i! wounds and remains without results- 

Rule 5 — Censure with calmness and love. 

Censure not in passion and anger. When in a pas- 
sionate mood, you will not find the right words nor the 
propei- tone. Excitement and violence cloud and con- 
fuse the view and make small faults to appear large. 
Scolding and blustering weaken the effect, while calm- 
ness and mildness on the other hand lend strength and 
certain victory. Not the dashing rains, on the con- 
trary the gentle showers penetrate the most deeply,. 

Father, mother, what is the conclusion relative to 
all that has been said pertaining to these two educa- 
tional means, praise and censure? It is this: Rather 
intermit five censures than one praise. Censuring is 
a lash which only mechanically incites. Praise on the 
other hand is a spring of an inward character, turn- 
ing itself upon the better ego of the child. Praise is 
a better tutor than censure. Through praise you in- 
fuse into the child confidence in itself. The more 
it trusts in itself, the greater its achievements. 

"Many a father hath erred in that he hath withhold re* 
proof. 

"But more have mostly sinned in withholding praise when 
it was due; 

"There may be such Eli among men; 

"Who chill the fountains of exertion by the freezing loolv?« 
of indifference. " 

Respectfully yours. 

Tcttap.od Crane* 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 255 

Sleepy Hollow . 
Dear Margaret : — 

Parents and teachers are often placed in a position 
in which they must admonish child or pupil, thereby 
endeavoring to induce a thoughtful reflection as to 
their manner of behavior and conduct. As you point 
out to them the consequences of a forbidden course 
of action, you at the same time warn them. This kind 
of reproving- can take place in three different ways : 
By mien, gesture and word. With well-reared chil- 
dren a gentle wink of the eye is sufficiently far-reach- 
ing. 

How Shall You Admonish Your Child? 

Father, mother, in answering this question we 
would place before you, for your observation, the fol- 
lowing few simple rules: 

Rule 1 — Admonish the child at the proper time. 

It is the best when the admonition follows on the 
heels of the act of misconduct. Then it is most sus- 
ceptible for the same. But there are also instances for 
which one must await a fitting opportunity, a suitable 
moment. This particularly obtains for admonitions 
of an earnest character. 

Rule 2 — Admonish the child in important affairs under four 
eyes. 

The child herein beholds an evidence of forbear- 
ance, love and trust on your part and will then wil- 
lingly open its heart. 



256 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Hule 3 — Admonish the child in Calmness. 

During* excitement and passion one finds not the 
proper words and still less the right tone. Proceed 
mildly and gently. The easier and more fully con- 
fiding you speak to the child, the deeper will the 
words penetrate. If the child offers anything unto its 
self -excuse, then interrupt it not, but quietly wait 
and listen until it has finished speaking. 

Hule 4 — Let your admonitions to the child "be short and "bind- 
ing. 

Make no admonitions of a general character, but 
much more attach them to some well-defined circum- 
stance. Employ not many words; for long sermons 
are not efficacious. The shorter the admonitory pro- 
nouncement is, the easier will its remembrance be. 
Hule 5 — Do not admonish the child too much. 

An uninterrupted admonishing about betterment 
and a continued grumbling about the most trivial 
thing becomes to the child onorous and disgusting. 
It will then permit the words to enter into the one 
ear and out of the other. How many a mother com- 
plains : "J allow it not to fail in reprovals. But it 
is as if everything fell upoai stones." To this it will 
indeed come if one preaches too much unto the child. 

Hule 6 — Seldom thf eaten! 

Only in an exceptional manner may a threat be at- 
tached to the admonition. An experienced educator 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 257 

says: "Much threatening is a distinguished character- 
istic of a poor home-training system. Also threaten 
not severer and sharper than. what you would and 
<?an punish. If you have once threatened the child 
and it shows itself in spite of your threatening defi- 
antly' disobedient, then with firmness also execute your 
threat. Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 
17 



258 TH ^ SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

In the home as well as in the school-room, in the 
administration of affairs, a certain restraining au- 
thority must be exercised in order that the best re- 
sults educationally may obtain. This restrictive pre- 
rogative, as exercised by the parent and teacher, pre- 
supposses certain fundamental principles of right and 
obedience over against wrong and disobedience, which, 
may be designated as the rewarding of the one and 
the punishment of the other. Hence the folowing^ 
vital question which we would place before your pa- 
trons for consideration : 

What Should You Know Concerning the Punishment and 
Rewarding of Children? 

Punishment in child-education plays an important 
role. Punishment in a false manner can accomplish 
much harm. True, all fathers and mothers punish 
accoTding to the best of their knowledge, but many 
without any understanding. Many punish too much,, 
others too little, many too severely, others again too- 
mildly. 

When parents punish a child it shall not take place- 
as is common in a magisterial punishment, to recom- 
pense a wrong or to atone for it, on the contrary, it 
shall only take place having in view this end and pur- 
pose, to prevent it again from being disobedient and 
to make it better. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 259 

There are well-behaved children in whose educa- 
tion no real or severe punishment must be applied. 
However, these are the exception. In far the greater 
instances things do not proceed without punishment. 
But also the children that must be frequently pun- 
ished are not by any means the worse children. Chil- 
dren who are active and lively in feeling, gifted with 
a strong individuality, and honestly express themsel- 
ves, more quickly will violate educational rules. Such 
from time to time need a damper, in order that they 
may not get beyond all bounds, and that the good 
germ of their being will noit. become violated. 

In children-punishment the following should only 
take place: The deprivation of certain sense-gratifica- 
tions; freedom- and honor-punishments; reprimands 
ing and, bodily chastisements. 

But as with other things, so is it also with the pun- 
ishment of children, the "How" is more important 
than the "What." Father, mother, that you may- 
know when and how you should punish, make your 
own the following fundamental educational rules: 

Rule 1 — Punish your child, circumstances suiting, in tnitr 
manner, that you allow it to bear the natural conse- 
quences of its offense. 

Permit the child to become wise through misfor- 
tune. This is the mildest and often most effiective 
form of punishment. When your son loses his pocket- 
knife, then allow him to see how he may again find it: 



260 rUE SCHOOL CHILD. 

or secure another. If yomr daughter in a careless and 
inconsiderate manner loses her hand-bag, then oblige 
her to help herself as best she can without one. If 
your son comes, on account of his loitering along the 
school-way, home too late for dinner, then oblige him 
to eat alone in the kitchen. If your daughter, at a 
certain appointed time, is not ready for an auto-ride 
or some other pleasure-trip, because of tardiness, then 
at the time set, go and allow her to remain at home. 
If your son, in playing in the garden, runs about on 
the prepared beds, then for one or two days deny to 
him the pleasure of playing there. Does your daugh- 
ter, in paying with other children, show herself a 
pi ay -disturber, then deny to her the pleasure of play- 
ing with others for a time or until she learns that it 
is better to behave. If the child has performed a piece 
of work carelessly and faultily, then oblige it to under- 
take it all over again. The more such punishments 
stand out as demonstrations of faults and appear un- 
to the child as the natural sequences of its inadverten- 
cies and lapses, the better will they realize their pur- 
pose. 

Rule 2 — Punish your child at times in this manner, that you 
deny unto it a sense-gratification. 

If it has allowed itself to be beguiled through its 
sense-greediness by stealth to eat tit-bits or if it has 
purloined money to purchase for itself dainties, then 
denv unto it its favorite food, give to it no candy, no 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 261 

cake, noi goodies of any kind. But to oblige a child to 
go hungry as a punishment is questionable. With 
weak children and of little bodily development such 
a punishment must be avoided out of health-consid- 
erations. 

Rule 3 — Punish your child by depriving it of its freedom. 

Freedom-punishment has this preference, that it 
can be adapted unto many gradations and readily tit- 
ted unto the greatness or smallness of the child-lapses 
and its individuality. The denial of freedom can be 
circumscribed toi a few moments, also can be extended 
for several hours or even for days. A very young 
child one can stand in a corner, say for five minutes, 
or with its face towards the wall, or one can place it 
in a room for a short time, where it will be entirety 
alone. If the child is older, then one can deny to it 
the taking of a pleasure-walk for one or more days or 
the taking of part in out-door plays. The room-im- 
prisonment punishment, however, is only effective 
when one knows that it is disagreeable to the child to 
remain in a room alone and not be able to get out with 
playmates. While it is imprisoned it must be con- 
stantly employed that it may not, to satisfy its incli- 
nation to activity, fall into all manner of mischief. 

Rule 4 — If the child abuses the confidence reposed in it, then 
seize upon its honor. 

For a well behaved child much hinges itself thereon 
that father and mother are satisfied with it and bear 



262 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

towards it an implicit confidence; their dissatisfac- 
tion with its doing is to it painful. If such a child 
allows itself to become indebted through an improper 
behavior, that to it be denied the pleasure of dining 
with the rest of the family, obliging it to eat alone, 
that, when company comes, it dare not be present, or 
that some committed office of trust for a short or long- 
er time be withdrawn. With younger children this 
honor-punishment must be avoided, since with them 
the honor-feeling has not yet been sufficiently devel- 
oped. 

Rule 5 — As your mildest punishment, apply reproof. 

The reproof therein exists that you, father, mother, 
give toi the child to understand clearly your displeas- 
ure as to its behavior. It is divisable into many gra- 
dations ; it can be mild, ' also severe ; it can ensue 
through a word, through a look, through mien and ges- 
ture, through the shaking of the head, the shrug of 
the shoulder and a motion of the hand. Dr. Matthews 
says: "Silence often has more power than the hand." 

If the reproof is clothed in words, then all depends 
thereon that the right words be used and a proper 
tone struck. In many instances will it be sufficeiently 
far-reaching, father, mother, if yon say to the son, the 
daughter: "And you have done this?" In others wUl 
already a "Shame yourself!" be very painful, and 
in still others will a single, but emphatically uttered, 
-•'0 fie!" make an impression. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 263 

* 

Father, shun each and every rude and coarse utter- 
ance, and above all every word of reproach. Consider 
in the words "sheep," "ass/' "monkej'," "calf" or 
"ox" that you are the father of this "sheep" or" ox. " 

Father, mother, avoid long retributive preachments, 
for the results tend towards the evil rather than to- 
wards the good. Either they tire the child, or they 
pass into one ear and out of the other, or they are for 
it sport. If you use to:) many words because of the 
throwing upon the floor cut paper-bits or because of 
overturned ink-stand, a broken window-pane, a rend 
in the clothing, a poor mark in one of the school - 
studies, etc., then will it think and say to itself : 
"Pshaw, if father, mother would only stop!" 

Tf you must reprove your child, then guard your- 
self against exaggerations and expressions like the 
following: "It is frightful I" "What shall there yet 
become of you ! " ' ' Concerning you I must yet worry 
myself to death-" And questions like these: "Will 
you better yourself?" "WHl you now promise never 
to doi this again?" Such "overreaching" utterances 
shoot far beyond the mark, and are like arrows that 
do not hit. 

HiUe 6 — Only in the most extreme cases punish your child 
corporally. 

Concerning the application of corporal punishment 
views widely differ . Man}- educators entirely reject 
tke same, others again speak with praise as to the 



264 TIiE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

electrical effects of the "hazel rod." There are fa- 
thers who from the fifth year up in the life of the 
child will not whip, others again see in the cane every 
disciplinary panacea. The truth is in the middle. 
Those who hold a false sentimentality, believing to 
harm in the child the dignity of the becoming man,, 
when they chastise H, confound the full-grown man 
with the becoming one, with that yet childish-childlike. 
True indeed is it that moral and spiritual perfection 
will not permit itself tot be pounded into a child, but 
many times corporal discipline is the only efficacious, 
mean at hand, whereby in the strokes the heart-door 
can be burst open and like a hoe it mellows and loos- 
ens the ground. There are circumstances in which 
corporal punishment is not only permissible, but on 
the contrary commanded, as for example : When a bory 
maliciously tortures an animal, insults and mocks a 
-deformed person, when he in a wilful manner breaks 
a window, intentionally sails the clothing of his school- 
mates, shows himself obstinate and defiantly disobeys^ 
when in an unblushing and shameless manner he dis- 
graces himself, behaving churlishly, fearlessly and 
audaciously lies to your face, etc., under such circum- 
stances it would be unjust of the father out of feel- 
ings of tenderness to shun corporal chastisement and 
not to heed the exhortation in the words of Solomon : 
"He that spareth h^s rod hateth his son; but he that 
loveth him chasteneth him betimes." Prov. 13: 24. 
"Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 26$ 

beat him with a rod, he will not die. Thou shalt beat 
him with a rod, and deliver his soul from sheol." 
Prov. 23 : 13-14. 

Father, be circumspect and whip your child, when 
it is older and in it the hoaior-feeling bestirs itself,: 
only in rare and extreme cases. Dr. Matthews writes r 
"An ear-boxing can, during these years, lead unto 
grim exasperations and call forth scenes belonging to 
the unconformable in home and school and which lead 
untoi a rend between the punished one and the teacher 
in which he alone bears the fault, because he has not 
timely acquainted himself of the fact that the child 
is grown and should be dealt with as a groiwn-up. 3> 
One more fact would we here mention. Every corpo- 
ral punishment must be fully executed with complete 
self-control, otherwise it will appear to the child as 
retributive and will be received by it with defiance 
and suppressed rage and with a feeling as if it was 
a persecuted and an oppressed one. 

Rule 7 — Seek to prevent punishment. 

Like the physician, who should bestow more solici- 
tation upon the prevention of disease than to heal af- 
ter once appearing, so should the parents also con- 
stant^ have in mind that it is far better to guard the 
child against any behavior-lapses than to punish them 
after they have occurred. How this can best take place 
you will learn this from the following letters : 
Educate Your Child Unto Obedience, Cultivate in 



266 THB SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Your Child Cheerfulness and Gladsomeness, How 
Shall You Bid and Forbid Your Child? 

In each punishment which you, father, mother, 
decree ask yourselves, whether you are not yourselves 
the fault or may be in fault because of the evil where- 
fore you are about to punish the child. If you in this 
carefully examine yourselves you will come to this and 
that, what you must do to dig away the ground about 
the transgressions of the child. How many times par- 
ents are chastening in their child that which they 
should severely punish in themselves. 

Rule 8 — Turn not aside from the Infliction of punishment. 

Many a father who is deeply interested and very 
much preoccupied wkh his business or calling, wishes 
that, at home, he be spared of all unpleasant and ex- 
citing family matters; he wants his rest and wants 
to hear nothing whatever about "children-stories." 
And many a mother is tender and weak, so as to give 
way to this inclination of the father. She conceals 
from him child-offenses which he should know, upon 
which she, with him, should confer and which he 
should punish. 

Father, mother, try not to escape duty when it must 
be done, even to hurt your child. It is a hundred 
times better "that you with a firm hand gripe into 
the soul, than that later with relentless severity life 
be restored." 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 267 

3Uile 9 — Punish not yo\ir child until you exactly arid clearly 
know its offense. 

if your child has disobeyed and you conclude that a 
punishment is necessary, then before its infliction in- 
vestigate as to the motive for the act and fix the ex- 
tent and degree of the fault. Withal permit your- 
selves not to be deceived by anything the child may 
■say as to its mistake. And bear in mind that nearly all 
^children are inclined to mitigate and to paliate their 
faults. In the sentence-pronouncement much de- 
pends upon the accompanying circumstances of the of- 
fense. You can allow this slight misdemeanor to ap- 
pear in an overly dark and a severe one in a much 
milder light. One dare not measure the refractory 
acts of children with the same foot-rule by which you 
would measure those of grown-ups. "A child that out 
of fear falsifies the signature to an excuse, knows well 
that it is doing wrong, but what it means to forge a 
name in civil life this it does not comprehend." Also 
in such instances must the honest and upright confes- 
sion: "I did not designedly do it!" always obtain 
mitigating grounds In instances wherein you can- 
not for yourselves explain the offense of the- child, 
msk yourselves whether, perhaps, to .you, some un- 
known physical or mental disease may be the cause. 
As soon as it is doubtful whether your child is guilty 
or innocent, you shall not play the regime of a judge 
and yet much less that of an executioner. 



268 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Rule 10 — Punish not too often. 

With punishment it is as with a tonic, if too of teas- 
taken by a person it loses its efficacy, and if a punish- 
ment is too frequently administered, it at last will W 
worthless. , 

Nicolay, in his book "Ill-bred Children" offers tin's 
advice: "One should energetically punish and sel- 
dom. A single breakfast with dry bread is more thair 
twenty deprivations of the evening- meal. A single 
gotod flogging protects the child from twenty ineffi- 
cient whippings, from a hundred threaten ings and sl. 
thousa n d f orewarnings. ' ' 

Rule 11 — Punish rather too mildly than too severely. 

Father, when an earnest look suffices, you must not 
threateningly hold up the finger. When a single- 
word answers, you must not utter five, when a single 
stroke is effective, you must not deal out two. If you 
are halting between mildness and severity, select the 
former. Experience teaches that through toio great 
a severity far more harm is accomplished than through 
too great a mildness. If a child is often severely chas- 
tised, then its honor-feeling is blunted, it will be- 
come indifferent and thick-skinned. It appears verjr 
serious when a father confesses : "I know no more how 
I shall punish my youngster and what I shall begii* 
with him." 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 269 

Iteile 12 — Punish justly. 

The unspoiled child posseses a fine discriminating- 
feeling as to whether its punishment is just or unjust. 
'To a just punishment it submits without murmuring; 
such an one causes it to be ashamed and leaves it to 
Ter>ent; an unjust one on the contrary deeply wounds 
it and fills its heart indeed with bitterness and read- 
ily calls forth ill will, defiance, resentment and sul- 
lenness. If it is unjustly and severely punished, then 
ml] it forget its offense, marking that to it a great 
injustice has happened. 

If you must, father, moither, punish your child, 
then beforehand consider well whether it has failed 
on account of evil habits, whether you are dealing 
with a momentary elapse, or whether only an over- 
sight, or whether an intentional offense lies before 
you. If a child plays in the room and pulls the table- 
cloth to the floor, or if it breaks with the ball a win- 
dow-light, then punish it for its inconsiderateness, 
Irat not on account of the damages done. If it removes 
from its place, against your positive command not to, 
an expensive piece of statuary and allows it to fall 
that it breaks, then punish it because of its disobe- 
dience. Whether the figure is one of porcelain or of 
common plaster, whether the money-loss is great or 
small, dare noit enter into consideration as to the 
greatness or severity of the punishment. * ' How many 
"times has a single unjust punishment been the cause 



270 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

that a good child- never again found the love for fa- 
ther and mother!" 

Rule 13 — In the punishment of a child consider its nature. 

For the court-judge the duty is to punish without 
regfard to person. He simply pronounces sentence 
without any mitigation, according to the law's pen- 
alty. With children the proceeding must be the very^ 
opposite. Here nature, age, sex and temperament 
must be taken into consideration. If the child is very 
susceptible to sense-impressions, then withhold from, 
it some dainty and deny unto it a gratification. An-. 
other that is very lively and sociable, one hedges it 
in through a freedom-punishment, and the third,, 
which possesses an active honor-feeling, one with- 
draws from it a committed honor-office. But if love in 
a child has already become a power, then for a time- 
desist in showing to it love and affection. 

Rule 14 — Punish without delay. 

With the child offenses and punishments must 
closely follow one upon another. If between the two 
there lies k long interval of time, through thought- 
lessness and indifference, the connection will be blot- 
ted out. Instantly after the behavior-lapse, conscious- 
ness of the offense is the stronger. Each postponement 
oif a punishment weakens the effect or may entirely de- 
stroy it. Therefore it is not to be approved when 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 271 

mother says: "When father comes home you shall re- 
ceive your punishment." In the meantime hours are 
passing'. And what may not thrust itself in between! 
True, in severe instances you should follow the word 
of the proverb: "Not at first punish, first sleep over 
it. " On the next morning you are calm and can think 
more clearly as to the manner and measure of the 
punishment. 

Rule 15— Punish not in excitement and anger. 

The Bible tells us : ' ' That wrath is cruel and anger 
is overwhelming. ' ' Prow 27 : 4. This condition of 
self unfits one to punish a child. There is an old say- 
ing: "Before punishing, pray the Lord's Prayer." 
Truly should yoiu, father, show to the child, when it 
has been disobedient, has lied, etc., that you exper- 
ience a deep moral indignation. But if you lose your 
self-control, in excitement wrath and anger fall upon, 
shout and rage and blindly strike the child, then you 
belittle yourself in its eyes and you lose with it all 
authority and the punishment appears tol it as self- 
revenge and all disciplinary value is sacrificed. The 
cause of such passionateness is mostly owing to phy- 
sical indisposition, nervousness and an irritable tem- 
perament. But it will not otherwise go. He who 
would train up children must learn first of all to gov- 
ern himself, must discipline himself, and alsoi then, to- 
close his mouth and to hold steady his hand if they 
would immeasurablv bestir themselves. 



272 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Rule 16 — After the punishment excuse and direct the child. 

Father, mother, if your child after a punishment 
shows repentance and a good earnest disposition to 
better itself, then must you hold the affair as satisfied 
and without upbraiding:, fully and entirely without 
any stipulations or reservations whatever, forgive it 
and show to it that you love it and bear towards it 
confidence, extending to it the hand of affection. Di- 
rectly following the punishment a friendly look and 
an affectionate, word strongly work in upon the heart, 
seldom not a few approachable children are in such 
moments susceptible unto any well-meaning words or 
acts. And very beautifully does Jean Paul say: "No 
love is sweeter than that following a severity: then 
will be pressed out of the olive the mild, soft oil." 

And now, father and mother, an additional word 
relative to the other question : 

How Shall You Reward Your Child. 

Rewards to the child in the narrower sense of the 
term should be very sparingly indulged in by the par- 
ents. If it has at one time voluntarily accomplished 
a performance of acknowledged merit, then you can, 
father and mother, give to it a present, such as a book, 
a, play for which it may have wished or provide for 
it some particular gratification, wherein that disli for 
which it is partial stands out prominently, or you can 
grant to it an especial pleasure, a walk longer than us- 
ual and outside of the regular time, an excursion, a 
visit to some distant uncle. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 273 

But the reward should not be the sequence, on'the 
contrary only a gift for an earnest and faithful per- 
formance oif duty. It is a mistake when you, father, 
promise to your son a rew r ard for performances which 
belong to him as a matter of duty, e. g., for the mem- 
orizing of a poem suggested by the school, for the well 
arrangement of a composition. The child may be mis- 
led to do its duty actuated by a reward-seeking inter- 
est, rather than out of a feeling of duty. The fulfil- 
ment of duty, industry and perseverance then will be 
bought. Father and mother, your great aspiration 
should be this, that your son, your daughter at all 
times, in the consciousness of the faithful perform- 
ance of duty, should find the highest reward, having 
therein a conscience void of offenses tow r ards God and 
^nan. Respectfully yours, 

Tchabod Crane. 
18 



274 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Shall a Child Apologize? 

In placing this question before the fathers and moth- 
ers whose children are under j^our care and supervis- 
ion in the school, all would without hesitancy answer,, 
yes. It is self-understood that a child, when it has- 
done something unjustly or if it has improperly be- 
haved itself in school or at home, should apologize and 
say: "Be not angry any more with me!" "Forgive 
me!" "I will not do it again- ' ' 

While admitting all this as being true, you, father,, 
and you, mother, must bear in mind, however, that the- 
child seldom utters these words out oif a firm impulse,, 
and that it is most commonly very difficult even to 
force a child thereunto. Those children who are quick- 
ly prepared to apologize are not always the most con- 
scientioiusly disposed ones. Unto the deeply earnest 
child this appears much more difficult than to the 
superficial one. Highly talented children have to un- 
dergo a severe struggle with themselves ere these- 
acquitting words come over their lips. Far more oper- 
ative is that inner than this outer constraining act- 
Father, mother, permit your child, if it has been dis- 
obedient or committed some other offense, to feel how 
deeply it hurts you and touches your heart, that that 
relation of intimacy between it and you is greatly dis- 
turbed. 

Love will not permit a well-behaved child long to 
withstand this. But if with the child feeling and in- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 275 

sight fail, that, what it has done was wrong and un- 
just, then the apology has no value, and the younger 
the child is, the greater the difficulty to impress upon 
it such an understanding. 

Father, mother, be careful to distinguish between 
evil offenses and childish tricks. Do not place the lat- 
ter on a like level with the former. Do not see in 
every slight misbehavior or disobedience an awful of- 
fense that must be atoned for through punishment and 
apology. Remember this, that children are acting 
mostly out of thoughtlessness and overhastiness be- 
cause of indiscretion and humotr. 

If your child comes to you after the commission of 
some misdemeanor, out of its own inward impulse, 
and asks of you to be forgiven, then turn it not aside, 
but on the contrary cheerfully and willingly excuse 
it. And in so doing use few words and desist from 
reproving and exhorting it; for therewith you will 
wrong the finer feeling of the child and unnecessarily 
humiliate it. 

Also! request it not that your child after the apol- 
ogy adds thereto this promise: "I will not do it 
again." For "such a solemn promise the child is yet 
too unripe, and not yet morally sufficiently strong to 
make. Think of this, that if the child breaks its 
promise, unto the old debt a new one is added, a 
breach of promise, and against this you should, father, 
mother, carefully guard your child. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



276 TilE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

Children denied an adequate life and sport in the 
open air are invariably delicate, pale and tender; 
they are like a plant trying to develop in a dark room, 
bleached and spindly. An indoor inactive life is one 
of the moist effective ways of weakening' the child-body. 
rendering the growth thereof unnatural, soft and del- 
icate, hindering the garnering of strength and vigor 
for a long, active life. 

We many times observed the children of the slate- 
miners of Pennsylvania, in the middle of the severest 
winter weather, out on the hills, barefooted, with their 
sleds, coasting. They were immune to colds and sick- 
ness, hardy and strong, all owing to their active out- 
door life. Parents : 

Permit Your Child to Play. 

The child wants to be active, its nature requires 
this. During the years from 6 to 14 the inclination to 
activity manifests itself in two different ways, namely : 
Tt wants to work and to play. The playing should be 
free, an unrestrained exercise of the body or mind 
and having in view entertainment, pastime, recreation 
and pleasure. 

The desire to play is found in the very nature of the 
child. The child must play if it is not to become 
dwarfed in body and mind. He, denying to it the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILI). ' 277 

pleasure of playing, robs it of the greatest good moth- 
er nature has given to it, namely: Joyousness and 
cheerfulness. Child-years should be playing and hap- 
py years. 

The educational value of playing has been recog- 
nized by all the most eminent pedagogues. First 
among these are Pestalozzi and Froebel. Diesterweg 
writes: "To play belongs to the nature of the child. 
Without play it will cease to be a child." And pop- 
ular sentiment declares: "A child that does not play 
and continually chatter is not well." 

"'The child learns in joyous play, in being together 
with its companions, something that is of the highest 
value for life : The self -uniting with others of the 
same mind. Thereby will it be prepared for the most 
important duties of life. Since it will subordinate its 
wishes to those of others, it learns patience and self- 
control. By it a sense of justice will be cultivated, 
because in the play the play-law and not the respect 
of person obtains. Through play quarrelsome and 
peevish children are made better and cheerful, and 
timid ones inspired with confidence." 

Father mother, in the playing of your child the fol- 
lowing observations should govern your point of view: 

Observation 1 — Do not permit your child to play any games 
of chance. 

All plays, games that may beguile the ^hild to dis- 
honesty, that may Iny in its heart the germ unto gam- 



278 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

bling and greediness, should be avoided, in particular 
do not permit it to participate in dice-throwing and 
card-playing for moaiey and money-value. Barter, ex- 
change and selling-plays are permissible, when they 
are carefully watched over. Also; nothing is to be 
said against it when the children, during the long 
winter evenings, play dominoes and checkers, back- 
gammon and flinch or any other innocent game for 
nuts, apples and cakes. The principal stipulation in 
all games should be strict honesty. Children also have 
for this virtue a very fine sense. When an associate 
player cheats, the cry is from the mouths of all the 
others: "No, that shall not obtain !" "With you there 
is no playing!" 

Observation 2 — Allow to your child social games. 

Social games can pleasantly take place during long 
evenings in a comfortable room. These are various 
in character. Many propose questions which only can 
be solved through earnest reflection, such as draughts, 
riddles, conundrums and proverb-plays. Others of- 
fer something educational for school and life, such as 
geographical, historical, literary and mathematical 
plays. With great pleasure older children enter en- 
thusiastically and energetically into games of authors, 
composers and those involving problems in zooology 
and botany. In such games the younger are animated 
unto a noble emulation. The knowledge obtained at 
school will be reviewed and more firmly fixed. The 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 279 

imagination will be excited and the observing-power 
will be promoted. 

Observation 3 — Encourage your child to take part in youth's 
sports. 

The plays of youth, also exercises of an athletic na- 
ture, generally take place in the open air, and serve in 
the first place unto healthfulness. They invigorate 
the body and make it supple and active, exercise and 
strengthen the muscles. During the years of youth 
the body continually needs much exercise. In large 
centers of population it is ver} T difficult, owing to the 
large number of bo3 r s and girls, to provide properly 
for this out-door bodily invigoration. And where 
opportunities offer themselves, they should be with 
energy and alacrity embraced. 

Youth's plays may be classified as follows: "Walk- 
ing, running, rope-jumping, hide and seek, circular 
dancing, base-ball, foot-ball and pantomime. Boys 
also show a great predilection for tilting, wrestling, 
boxing, jumping, war-play, Indian, police, cowboy, 
rabbit and dog-plays. 

Relative to the educational value of youth's plays 
Professor Rayclt writes the following : ' ' Youth 's plays 
are an educational mean of the highest order not only 
for body and sense, also particularly for the mind, 
character and disposition. In the first place they re- 
quire perseverance and patience, then a quickness of 
determination, though tfulness in the finer executions: 



280 TH E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

and a courage bound with coniposedness and presence- 
of mind in unforeseen intervening incidents. The ner- 
vous system learns instantly to obey the impress of the 
will and the thinking powers accustom themselves 
unto a quick determination of the whole matter.. 
Thereby the plays of youth train unto self-controL 
Further the playground is the best place to grind 
down man}" character-imperfections. Many spoiled 
darling boys have here their vanity, self-sufficiency, 
self-esteem, boastfulness their defiant, sulking disposi- 
tion and their egotism forever knocked out of them or- 
very much moderated." 

For ehiMren and the happiness of the youth there is. 
no: more refreshing spectacle than when, in the free 
air, upon a green velvety lawn, amid green trees, a 
happy, sh juting crowd of children are bustling in 
play, be they girls with their charming singing and 
ring-playing or boys who with indefatigable energy- 
arc chasing after a high-flying ball from one end of 
the field to the other. 

Observation 4 — Interrupt not the play of your child without 
very forceful reasons. 

Father, mother, behold not the play of the child as. 
a foolish diversion and a waste of time. The play 
for the child is an earnest matter. It needs it unto its 
b /dily and mental unfolding and unto a recuperation 
for mind-exercise. The schoolroom instructions and 
the home-tasks require of it, in its sixth year of life,. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 281 

on an average, daily, from -I to 6 hours, and from the 
tenth to the fourteenth year, from 6 to 8 hours mental 
labor, enforcing' the child during all this time to be 
sitting still. If now that yet weak bodily and mental 
power shall not be exhausted, if the physical develop- 
ment shaH not be hindered and disturbed, if learning 
shall not become unto it a discouragement and its life 
embittered, then must it, daily, for hours exercise it- 
self and be permitted to give way to play in the open 
air. Experience teaches that a child that vigorously, 
joyously and freely plays also cheerfully learns. 

Observation 5 — Unnoticed by it, observe your child in its 
playing. 

The playing of the child offers to the parents this 
possible opportunity, to learn to know their child, 
as to its nature, its parts, talents and inclinations, 
its disposition and existing character-attributes more 
closely than in that ordinary intercourse and in ear- 
nest labor. In playing the child gives itself away 
without any restraint, free and unreservedly, entirely 
as it is. Hence not without reason has someone called 
playing the "mirror of the child soul." 

If you observe, father, mother, that your son in 
playing is always standing at the head, as general, 
teacher or hunter, never wanting to be a soldier, pupil 
ot rabit, that he shows himself skilled in organizing, 
"hi the disposing of affairs circumspect and energetic 
in execution, but also manifests a covetousness for 



282 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

honor, a domineering spirit and stubbornness, then 
see to it that these latter character-qualities are up- 
rooted without stifling and disturbing the former. If 
you noitice in the observation of the playing of your 
daughter that she is irritable and at times ill-humored, 
easily feeling and taking offense at every little thing, 
drawing back in a pouting manner, then influence her 
unto this, that she behaves herself socially, agreeabty 
towards others, and that she quietly submits herself to 
the play-rules. 

Observation 6 — Interrupt not the playing of your child "by 
talking into it. 

You shall, father, mother, exercise an oversight dur- 
ing the playing of your child. However, this shall be 
done in such a manner that the child may nott become 
conscious of the observing eye. If you therein com- 
mand it, then will you call forth disgust, you will par- 
alyze its sport, and the playing will cease to be play. 

Observation 7 — At times yourself take part in the plays of 
your child. 

You will not thereby detract anything from your 
dignity. Playing then foir the child presents a new 
charm when grown-ups join in it. But you must 
therein be as earnest as the children themselves. 
Good humor, merriment and gladsomeness Will then 
sway the whole circle. The heart of the child inclines 
itself more towards you in joyous play than in work. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 283 

"""Plays are flower-bands through which youth is fet- 
tered to oneself." 

In conclusion yet one word from that great friend 
of children. Froebel, who declares: "The play of 
-childhood is not sport, it has a lofty earnestness and 
•a profound significance. Therefore, cultivate, nurture 
Jt, mother! Protect it, guard it, father!" 

Father, mother, childhood is like unto a dream of a 
•beautiful world with flowing crystal streams and flow- 
ery meads, which is holding one in hand by its glis- 
tening golden border. Suddenly awakening, there are, 
the empty hands and all the magnificence of the vision 
vanishes; thus suddenly goes childhood and child- 
hood's innocency. Therefore, permit children to play 
-as long as playing gladdens them ; for with many too 
^arly the echo 1 of youth's grave-knell is heard. 

"There are gains for all our losses, 
There are balms for all our pains, 

But when youth, the dream, departs, 
It takes something from our hearts, 

And it never comes back again. " 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



284 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: — 

Nothing makes upon children such an impression, 
and arrests their attention so readily and agreeably 
than when something is beautifully and inrpressively 
related to them. How often comes from the lips of the- 
child this request: "Dear teacher, father, mother, 
relate something to me!" And a mother and father, 
who understand the art of story-telling, possess an 
educational mean of inestimable value. But the vital 
question relative to this educational mean is : 

How and What Shall You Relate to Your Child? 

What shall you, father, mother, relate to your child f 
Talk to it of everything that cultivates the mind, en~ 
riches its understanding and ennobles its heart and 
which appears important unto its knowledge-seeking 
mind. Narrate to it about the animels in the home 
and forest, about the faithful watch dog, the watch- 
ful cat and noble horse, about the fleet deer and din- 
ing fox, relate to it legends, concerning the mighty 
deeds of our predecessors, their denials and sacrifices, 
and also about the noble examples of all times and 
peoples. Select such stories the import of which is 
noble and good, in which the good triumphs and the 
evil is defeated and in the hearing of which the child 
in ecstatic delight exclaims: "Thus will 1 do also;. 
thus will I also become" 

All narratives in which one can readily see that 
they are made to clothe a moral lesson should be 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 285 

strictly avoided. Do not bring in far-fetched tedious 
moral applications. For the less the child observes the 
interwoven moral the more readily it will give way to 
the lesson, unconsciously absorbing- it. 

The Other Question: What Shall You Relate? 

To children one must differently relate than to 
grown-ups. For children it is not brevity, but on the 
contrary the contemplative and the complete is the 
principal thing. To the child one must so narrate as 
if the story was being really enacted before its eyes, 
and as if it itself lived it. And at the same time one 
must accommodate oneself in language and manner of 
expression suitable- to its understanding. Mother, 
when your child in your story-telling looks up into 
your countenance with wide open eyes and takes from 
your lips the words, when appealing incidents bring 
tears to its eyes and it laughs and rejoices at cheer- 
ful pictures, when often it interrupts and now and 
then exclaims: "Oh, how good-" "Oh, how beautif- 
~ful !" then do you indeed narrate well. 

The mistress in the ark of story -telling was the 
mother of Goethe. She understood how to ingratiate 
herself into the manner and thought and feeling of 
her son, and this narrating protvided for her much 
pleasure and gratification, that she, every time, became 
irritable and vexed when social invitations and func- 
tions conflicted with her stoiry-telling evenings. 



286 THK SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Relating is better than reading ; the read word is no& 
as effective as the spoken. In reading you are bound, 
to the book, and the mental communication between, 
you and the child is very much disturbed. Yoiu can- 
not thereby mediate in the same manner your percep- 
tions and feelings through looks, through mien and 
gesture as in free narration. Also you rob yourself of" 
the pleasure to see how that which is read works upon* 
the child. Yotu behold not the sparkling of the eye^ 
the intensity of the mien, the expectation how it is. 
further going and how it will end. 

Father, mother, it is also important that your child" 
learns story-telling. Therefore, permit it to again re- 
peat stories to yon, which you told to it, and you there- 
by be a very attentive and interested listener. In this- 
child-story-telling nothing should hinge itself upon: 
an exact and faithful, accurate verbatum from mem- 
ory reproduction. There is no harm, on the contrary 
it is to be with pleasure greeted when the child re- 
lates the stotry differently, strikes out in another orig- 
inal path and selects its own words. Do not interrupt 
it much, and assist it only so far as it is necessary to- 
avoid hesitation in the eorrection of diction, and thai: 
a continuity of thought and fact may obtain. 

This again relating is for the child an excellent 
memory- and language-exercise and a good prepara- 
tory school ^herein to learn how orally and in writ- 
ing to again relate its own self-experienees. 
Respectfully yours, 

ICHABOD CRANE_ 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 287 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Very diversified are the views relative to the ' i Sun- 
day, " or as it is indicated in the NeW Testament, the 
first day of the week — the Lord's Day. In the early 
history of the Church both the Jewish Sabbath and 
the Christian Sunday were observed, but as time went 
on the requirements of the fourth commandment were 
transposed to the latter day. 

The word Sabbath etymologically simply means a 
dividing of the months and not "a day of rest," 
which interpretation was later given to it. There is, 
however, a far-fetched definition given to the word 
drawn from Babylonian sources, which designates it 
as "a day of rest for the heart." But the historic 
fact is that neither Babylonians nor any other nation 
of antiquity had such a day designated in their cal- 
endar, nor were their years goverened by any sabbatic 
divisions. 

As we turn to the Genesitic account of the begin- 
ning, and reading from the first verse of the first 
chapter to the end of the fourth verse of the second 
chapter of the book, we find the following words as a 
peroration closing the account of the great fiats of 
creation: "And on the seventh day God finished his 
work which he had made ; and he rested on the seventh 
day from all his work which he had made. And God 
blessed the seventh day and hallowed it ; because that 



288 TiIE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

in it he rested from all his work which God had cre- 
ated and made. 

While week and Sabbath were already known to the 
writer of this book of Genesis, and are here only used 
to give framework to the picture of creation, which in 
the very nature of things cannot be taken literally 
and required some framework, yet in viewing* the pic- 
ture there is perspectively placed before us a pro- 
found truth and at the same time an appropriate- 
ness in the association of a day of rest with the mar- 
vellous work of the Creator ; and alsoi it is very evident 
that this thought of a rest-period of "blessedness" 
and "hallowedness" as herein designated, is much 
older than the Sabbatic institutions as they are found 
incorporated in the ecclesiastical laws of the Jewish 
Church polity. 

And alsoi there is no direct nor even an implied 
command directing man to observe this particular 
"blessed" and "hallowed" day such as found in 
the decalogue or as taught by the Christian Church. 
Yet we have nevertheless to conclude that the "crown- 
ing glory" of God's great work in the evolving of 
that innate germ of the spiritual and moral side be- 
longing to his nature, must necessarily have a "bles- 
sed " and " hallowed ' ' d'ay — a day whereon he shall lay 
aside the physical and material things and duties of 
life, and give rest to body and mind — a time joyous 
in its meaning, when he can turn from the fatiguing 
activities of the material unto a contemplation of the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 289 

ideal,, the true, the beautiful and the good in the great 
book of nature or in the artistic performances of his 
fellow-man in art, sculpture and music, harmonious- 
ly unfolding that inner self in obedience with the 
divine will and ennobling his heart in accord with 
those verities as exemplified by Jesus. 

li There is no day so glad as that, 
God's holy day of rest; 
There is no day so sad as that, 
Unhallowed and unblessed.'' 

Regardless as to what may may be the views and 
conclusions 'and the religious predilections of your 
kind patrons, father, mother : 

The Sunday Afternoon Belongs to Your Child. 

School-children feel something of this Sunday-rest 
already on Friday afternoon as the last recitation- 
hour is reaching its close, and as they happily clatter 
and tramp, tramp, tramp as they are leaving the 
school-house on the homeward-way, speaking thereof 
as to how they are going to spend Sunday. 

During the week life is strenuous and labor pres- 
sing, haste and clamor reign everywhere. But 
Sunday is the day of rest, quiet, beauty and love. 
It is indeed a praiseworthy arrangement when father 
and mother unitedly resolve : ' ' The Sunday belongs 
toi the family and the Sunday afternoons explicitly to 
the children." 
19 



290 TliE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

''Sunday for them should be a sunny clay — a day on 
which we draw closer that bond of love which unites 
us to them and upon which we hold higher their moral, 
and spiritual attitude." 

Sunday-rest is also for the school-child a health- 
requirement. Already because of this primary de- 
mand it is father, mother, your duty to have a care for 
this, that your child devotes when possible the Sun- 
day entirely unto a recuperation for its ensuing 
week's school-work. All school- work it should already 
on Saturday sometime arrange. On Sunday morning 
it may sleep longer, dress itself more comfortably 
and at breakfast take more time for itself than during; 
the week. 

Sunday should be a family-day and should in- 
wardly lead together parents and children. During 
the week-days the children are through the school 
drawn from home and the father is entirely taken up- 
in his vocation or business, that to him little time- 
remains to devote himself to his children. But 01*. 
Sunday it is entirely different. 

During the summer you should, father, mother,, 
on Sunday offer unto your children air and nature- 
enjoyment and take with them long walks and excur- 
sions ; go with them over the field into the forest and' 
park among the trees, birds and flowers. In the win- 
ter, when the icy path does not on Sunday invite yoiv 
into the open and on the long Sunday evening, you? 
should unite with the children in a comfortable room* 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 291 

in some mutual game, a mutual reading of some poem 
or book, home-music and singing, unto the observa- 
tion of pictures, story-telling and the giving of conun- 
drums. During such moments you learn that inner 
soul-life, the disposition of your child and to more 
closely understand what particularly delights or re- 
pels each one,' and the children have this gain, that 
they are being educated unto the enjoyment of the ar- 
tistic and that their feelings for the sensible and the 
beautiful become deeper and warmer. If parents and 
children in this manner spend the Sunday, then will 
all feel themselves encouraged and take this feeling 
of affectionately belonging together with them into the 
new week and rejoice from one Sunday to the other r 
and out of such sweet, pure happiness grows love and 
trust in each other, like two beautiful flowers. 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



292 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Christinas ! The ring of this word has for every 
child a wonderful charm ! Christmas is the festival of 
the children. Motherly love and fatherly care should 
so transform this day that the child in the later years 
of its life will delightfully think over the Christmasses 
it celebrated in the paternal home. They should be 
hours which like stars always shine in memory. 

Father, moither, at Christmas time, can scatter rich 
seed in the heart and mind of their child and in this 
soil, warmed by a Christmas sun, it will more quickly 
and thoroughly grow up than at any other time. 

A particular custom attaching itself to this festal 
day, and to which the child expectantly and happily 
looks forward, is the bestowal oif presents by parents 
and friends. Relative to this custom we would be 
pleased to consider with the fathers and mothers of 
the dear children of your school the following ques- 
tion : 

What Should You Consider in the Bestowal of Christmas 
Gifts Upon Your Children? 

In answer to! this question we would kindly invite 
the parents to keep in view in their Christmas obser- 
vations and bestowal of gifts the following several 
rules : 
Rule 1 — Present with moderation. 

The table should not be loaded down to the break- 
ing point with gifts. A child's heart is soon filled. Dot 



THE SCHOOL-CHlLI>. 293 

not make it large with many presents. Through im- 
moderate giving, through too costly and too many 
presents the heart of the child can be spoiled. It will 
therefrom either become greedy or puffed-up. 

Rule 2 Present unto your child only such playthings 

wherewith it can undertake something. 

Playthings that it can only look at give to its imagi- 
nation and its inclination to activity too little gratifi- 
cation. Avoid all expensive and unsubstantial chil- 
dren-works of art. The simpler the plaything is and 
the more the child can therewith be employed the 
better it is. The doll for the girl remains the most 
impjrtant plaything and for the small boy the build- 
ing-blocks and for the larger one the tool-chest. 

Rule 3 — Present unto your child at Christmas time also ne- 
cessary things. 

Present to it clothing, shoes, ' school-books, pencils, 
pen-holders, paper, etc. Your child must not think 
that it lias not to behold such necessary articles as 
gifts and that it need not to rejoice and be pleased 
in the receipt of the same. Let it feel and understand 
that such needful articles are to be held in greater 
worth and that they are to be far more treasured than 
such which only gratify luxury and pleasure. It is 
educationally entirely proper if you occasionally de- 
lay the purchase of such practical things until Christ- 
mas time or its birthday. 



294 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Bule 4 — Permit it to dispose of some of the eatables you 
bestow upon it according to its own wishes and lik- 
ing. 

Out of the way and the manner your child proceeds 
in the disposition of that which it can freely distribute 
as it sees proper you can learn much. You will there- 
by note whether your child is dainty-moiuthed, 
whether it divides up, whether it lays 03^, whether it 
also cheerfully gives something to others. For certain 
eatables you may designate the time when they should 
be eaten by the child. It should exercise itself in 
waiting, should learn to deny itself of something and 
should learn to govern its hankering after dainty 
things. 

Rule 5 — Whatever your child presents to you it should itself 
prepare or pay for it out of its own money-box. 

Your soin may carve or saw, paint or draw, your 
daughter may crochet or embroider something. Chil- 
dren should learn to present something durable and 
useful, and articles, the products of their own skill 
and labor. The material therefor, such as the draw- 
ing-paper, the timber, the embroidering silk, the wool, 
your child should pay out of its money-box. Such a 
gift will it hand over to you with an entirely differ- 
ent, with a more joyous feeling, than that whereunto 
you have beforehand given the money for its purchase. 
Hold such a gift from your child in great honor and 
^stimatioin. Show unto it that you highly treasure the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 295 

token of its affection. This is also a true and genuine 
Christmas gift, when it, for Christmas Eve, learns 
a poem, practices a piece of music or otherwise offers 
something out of the richness of its own mental skill- 
fulness. In such a proffer lies a portion of its feel- 
ings, its whole heart. 

Rule 6 — At Christmas-tiine your child should remember the 
servants and the poor. 

It shall also learn to gladden the heart of every 
person serving in the home, be it maid-servant or 
man-servant, through a gift or a token of attention 
<and remembrance. But above all it should early ac- 
custom itself during this festival of love to open its 
money-box for the welfare of the poor, that it may 
feel the truth of the words of Jesus : "It is more 
blessed to give than to receive." And haw great a 
joyousness lies in the making of others happy and 
gladsome in heart. 

Rule 7 — Light up for your child a Christmas tree. 

The fir-tree and the holly tree belong to the poetry 
of Christmas. But rob not the tree of its beauty and 
enchantment through this that yon so overload it with 
decorations and gifts, that one hardly sees a green 
branch. Have upon it a few gilt apples, colored glass, 
alsoi candles carefully placed, peeping forth from 
between the branches. Decorate the tree lightly with 
gold and silver tinsel. 



296 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Where you are fortunate enough to have in the 
home electric lights, colored tubes specially prepared 
for Christmas tree illumination may be substituted 
for candles, which are more safe and convenient than 
wax candies. Such simple decoration is amply suffi- 
cient. 

Rule 8 — Send out beforehand your Christmas presents and 
greetings. 

Father, mother, permit not Christmas toi sink down 
into simply a present-giving and present-receiving 
occasion, on the contrary intensify it by this, that you 
prepare a simple celebration that will make upon the 
child an impression and bind about its sentiments a 
higher spiritual band. The deep feelings that it here- 
by grasps will not leave it throughout the whole year. 
and it effects this, that it inwardly rejoices from one 
Christmas to another. Father, open the occasion with 
a beautiful Christmas carol. After that take the old 
family Bible in hand and read a Christmas gospel les- 
son and for the last sing some joyous Christmas song r 
as "Joy to the world, the Lord is come." "Holy night, 
peaceful night." All this together gives a dearer,, 
firmer tone to Christmas, which vibrates through the 
heart of the child and in it re-echoes, and for it later 
leads the image of the father and the mother before its 
soul as often as the Christmas bells ring. 

"A merry Christmas morning 
To each and every one! 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 297 

The rose has kissed the dawning 
And the gold is in the sun. 

' ' .And may the Christmas splendor 
A joyous greeting bear, 
Of love that's true and tender 

And faith that's sweet and fair!" 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



298 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Good literature and a library of well selected books 
are not only for grown people, but also particularly 
for the youth of great importance. Good books satis- 
fy a want of the child to mentally employ itself, work- 
ing upon its understanding and mind, upon its will 
and character, ennobling the heart, enriching its fund 
of knowledge and cultivating its st3'le. Hence, father 
and mother : 

What Should You Know Concerning Youth's Literature? 

In order that the reading of your child be a bles- 
sing and an advantage unto it, and that nothing de- 
trimental and derogatory to its mental and moiral cul- 
ture arise through its reading, we would kindly direct 
yoiu unto the observation of the following rules as to 
the reading and literature of your child: 

Rule 1 — Circumscribe as much as possible the reading of 
your child. 

The school and home-labors of the schooil require 
time and vigor and claim very much of the attention 
of the child. And if in addition it spends much time 
in reading it will easily become over-burdened. Its 
health must not be impaired, its delight and inclina- 
tion for exercise in the open air must not through 
reading suffer loss. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 299 

Just as constant and irregular eating- and junket- 
ing spoils the stomach and the general state of health, 
so has this desultory much reading, this immoderate 
•desire for and reading rage an evil result; the imagi- 
nation becomes excited, the mind impracticable and 
the will effeminate. 

A good mean against this inordinate desire and 
this reading rage, that may take hold of boys as well 
as girls, is sport and play. He who reads too much 
grows inactive. Correct youngsters prefer the hike 
"with congenial companions, the robber- and soldier- 
plays and base-ball in place of the recluse and his 
"books and then onty become book-worms when they are 
■shut in from the fresh and invigorating: outdoor life 
and from sun and wind. 

Ttule 2 — Do not allow your child to read the newspaper. 

This may seem to you, father and mother, a some- 
what incongruous request, yet as you pursue this pa- 
ragraph you will perceive its reasonableness. Even 
thoiugh the daily papers cannot be classed under the 
head of " base* literature. ' ' yet nevertheless they are 
not reading matter for young children. This is al- 
ready obvious by their purpose. The paper shall in- 
form the grown-ups as to the daily occurrences 
throughout the community and country, therefore 
it must necessarily contain articles, political, religious, 
judicial, civil and social. These naturally place into 
the forefront a knowledge and an experience which 



300 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

children Qannot yet possess. The matter read re- 
mains either mentally indigested, also worthlessly 
sticking in the head, or the child obtains a very super- 
ficial word-knowledge. But yet more harmful are the 
criminal and sensational articles which take up in 
eve^ paper a large space. Every court proceeding,, 
each robbery, all committed murders, conjugal vio'a- 
tioms and divorce suits are fully published in almost 
every detail. And how much vieiousness is lurking 
beneath such accounts that is harmful to the imagi- 
nation of the child and that may tear open the way 
to wicked inclinations. 

The daily sheets also offer much which the general 
culture of the child demands. They bring information 
of what is taking place in every corner of the world, 
comcerning the important discoveries, of events full 
of force and meaning in nature and in the political 
and social life of a people, the achievements in philo- 
sophy, science, art and literature of which the child 
should know. This, however, can best take place in 
the following manner, by one permitting the fitting 
portions to be read aloud by the child, or by reading 
them to it and commenting upon the same or by en- 
tering into a conversation with it concerning them. 

Rule 3 — Guard your child against impure literature. 

Parents, earnestly guard against it that your son 
does not read books of the following character: "Dia- 
mond Dick" and "Sherlock Holmes," also against the 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 301 

perusal of detective and criminal stories. Such ob- 
noxious books in which men and women are placed 
before him entirely different than what they are; 
they fill the head of the boy with fantasies and bait 
his spirit from excitement to excitement; they are a 
poison that disturbs the nerves, entangles the under- 
standing and corrupts the heart. 

Rule -i — Present to your child acknowledged good books. 

Present to it not many, but each one of the few, 
select with the greatest eare and judiciousness. Do 
not depend upon the praises and recommendations 
of the daily press and the book reviews of household 
magazines nor upon pjpular applause. Place more 
value upon the contents of the book than upon the 
elegance of the binder's art. It is no difficult matter 
at present for you to make a good selection, providing 
you exercise the necessary judiciousness, since in 
•inany of our larger cities there are reputable publish- 
ing houses that make it a specialty to issue books for 
the young. These publishers make it a duty to select 
>ut Off the large number of books issued for youth 
those which are of a literary and an educational value, 
and they are catalogued and generaUy issued before 
Christmas as gift -books for the occasion. 

Guard yourselves against too strongly praising a 
book toi your child, so as not to too highly excite its 
•expectations, that it may not be disappointed and 
•sav. "It is not as beautiful as I concluded it was." 



302 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Also an overly warm recommendation carries in it 
this disadvantage, it may lead to prejudicial conclu- 
sions. The better way is. that the child approaches 
a book unprejudiced and without any preconceived 
notions, that the deeper enjoyment of the same is not 
lessened. 

Rule 5 — Require of your child an understanding of what it 
reads. 

When yofu have presented a book to your child r 
then also should you take pains that it be by it read 
in a proper manner. First of all, read it carefully 
yourself in order that you can intelligently maintain 
yourself with the child relative to its contents. After- 
it has read the book, lead off unto a lively exchange 
of views and meaning. Ask it: "Do yoiu understand 
all?" "What general impression has the book made on 
you?" Encourage the child at times to read aloud 
and thereby to observe its voice as to utterance and 
distinctness in tone and enunciation. Permit the 
child to repeat to you stories and paragraphs which it 
has read. 

It is pleased when it can relate something to your 
then also it will read with much greater interest and 
attention. Interest yourself in the thoughts and ob- 
servations which it attaches to that read. Also it is- 
to be very much encouraged that several children 
read the same book in close succession! and then ex- 
change views and thoughts concerning it. To prevent 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 303 

the child from a superficial reading of books and to 
lightly skim over their contents, insist upon it that 
it reads with pen or pencil 'and tablet in hand, writ- 
ing out striking utterances and aphorisms for itself 
from the book, and also to make abstracts. A good 
book it should read several times. The wise Seneca 
has said: "It is better to read one six times than six 
books only one time.." Reading too much and the de- 
vouring of books is harmful ; it tends to make one a 
recluse, fickle and superficial. The highest claims 
should be made upon the book for the young. For the 
youth Off our country the best is only good enough! 
One of the most certain marks of a good book herein 
exists, that it is also read by grown-ups with pleasure 
and interest and with much gratification. 

Books for the youth may be classified into the fol- 
lowing two groups : Books of information and of 
poetry. To the first belong historic narrations, travel- 
accounts, works on natural history, etc. These latter, 
however, are only for boys in whom scientific interest 
has already early unfolded itself in some particular 
direction. The larger number of boys and girls seize 
upon books of the second group (poetry and fiction), 
because of this, that they engage the imagination and 
touch more that inner life. 

One more question would we propose and answer 
before concluding this letter- 



304 TH E SCHOOL CHILD. 

What Requirements Should You Plaoe Upon Good Juvenile 
Books? 

Father, mother,, we would convey our reply to this 
question to you by placing' before you for 3 T our guid- 
ance and observation the following several rules : 

Rule 1 — It must be child-popular. 

By this rule we would imply that the book shall 
correspond to the mentally developed state of the 
child. While grown-ups in the reading of a book 
allow themselves in the first place to be influenced 
in their determinations by the perusal oif the intro- 
duction, in the child it is otherwise. Here every inter- 
est hastens to the contents. If these fetter its atten- 
tion, then will it read the book from the beginning 
to the end, even if much in the introduction is be- 
yond its comprehension and understanding. 

Ttule 2 — It must enlarge its intelligence, educate unto a worth 
of the beautiful and culivate in it a good literary 
taste. 

When once unto the child a delight in the beau- 
tiful has become its possession, then it is fortified 
against that in-working of the impure and base, then 
is there in it a fostering soil for the classic produc- 
tions, then will it delightfully dip deep into the Pie- 
rian Spring of our American prose and poetry. The 
works of Bryant, Longfellow, Holmes, Saxe, Whit- 
tier, Tayloir, Irving, Cooper, Hawthorne, Warner and 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 395 

the far-famed productions of our English cousins 
will be its constant companions. 

Rule 3 — Juvenile narrations must cultivate, morally. 

A book for a child dare contain nothing that is mor- 
ally offensive or dangerous to a child. Its contents 
must be entirely sincere and pure. If the book fails 
to nourish that tending child-benevolent feeling, then 
it must not be placed into the hands of the child. Also 
the moral must lie in the action and through this find 
its way to the child-heart. 

Rule 4 — A juvenile book must be written in popular lan- 
guage. 

The language must be childlike and yet- not childish 
and the representation be intuitive and living, clear 
and intelligible, select and ennobling. 

Rule 5 — Books for the young should be well gotten up. 

While the outer is not as important as the contents, 
it nevertheless must not violate good taste. The print 
should always be large and clear; the binding neat 
and tasty; the paper of a superior quality. The pic- 
tures should possess an artistic value. Better no pic- 
tures than poor ones! 

Father, mother, stand by the school and help it in 

its purpose and mission and provide with it, for this, 

that through good books the inner being of your child 

becomes purer and its soul-state exalted, and that 

20 



306 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

American virtues, American life-powers and Ameri- 
can individuality be exalted and sustained ! 

"I call them friends, these quiet books; 

And well the title they may claim, 
Who always give me cheerful looks; 

(What loving friend has done the same?) 
And for companionship, how few, 

As these my cronies ever present, 
Of all the friends I ever knew, 

Have been so useful and so pleasant. n 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 307 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret: — 



In the training of the children of a family there 
is an educational sphere peculiar to the parent that 
does not obtain in the school-room. In the school the 
same units of instructions can be employed for both 
the boy and the girl so far as these are applied unto 
the unfolding of the mind and the character of each. 

But there is another sphere for which Dame Nature 
has ordained each in their after-school life relations and 
activities. Herein an essential divergency of training 
necessarily must find place if they shall fill well and 
properly their allotted place in this world as man and 
woman. In the education of the daughter for her pe- 
culiar life-place the mother is the preceptress and for 
the training of the son the father is the promoting 
agency. This divergency in the circle of life's activi- 
ties of both the son and the daughter of the home calls 
forth from every earnest father and moither the fol- 
lowing questions as they watch their offspring pass- 
ing from childhood into manhood and womanhood: 
"How shall the girl be trained that she may truly 
and worthily fill her place and perform her duties in 
life, and what shall the boy become, that he may hap- 
pily and successfully fill his place and at the same 
time enjoy some lucrative industrial activity?" The 
first of these questions that we would with your kind 
patrons contemplate is : 



308 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

How Shall You Educate Your Daughter? 

To properly educate boys is difficult, but to educate 
girls in the proper manner is yet more difficult. From 
the girl much more is expected than from the boy ; 
she should be educated, but not miseducated, she 
should become cultured, but not perverted. The girl, like 
the boy, should become qualified to properly reason 
and to think, vigorously to will, and wisely to deal, 
and beside these qualifications she should be able to 
deeply perceive and feel and possess a fine sense for 
the beautiful. 

In the education of the ^irl repeated failures are here- 
in made, by permitting her to become too constantly 
engaged in mental labor, with womanly handiwork 
and with music and. literature. The consequence of 
this continued sedentary work is that her health is 
impaired, she becomes bloodless and nervous, wan 
and pale, languid and sickly. With grown-up young 
girls the principal thing is health, are bright, spark- 
ling eyes, red cheeks and rosy lips. 

As already stated, in the education of- the girls the 
mother is the determining factor and as the proverb 
truly declares: "Like the mother so the daughter!" 
Where the mother is a pattern and shining example in 
womanly virtues, here will the daughter invol- 
untarily of itself have implanted a sense for domestic- 
ity and family felicity. 

Parents, you should so educate yowr daughter that 
she may at some time well and properly fill the three- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 309 

fold position for which Dame Nature has designated 
her, namely: As mother, wife and helpmate. There- 
unto it is not conditionally necessary that she shall 
take dancing lessons under some expert master, have 
a love for piano-playing or to parley in French. 

For to be at one time to the man who may choose 
her as life-companion a faithful helpmate, she must 
not rnerety possess certain outward artificial accomp- 
lishments, but particularly must she also be endowed 
with those qualities of mind and heart that will make 
her unto him worthy and lovely. 

Shall at some time that great fortune be your 
daughter's portion to become a mother, to nurture and 
rear children to maturity, then will she only perform 
this responsible duty in the right manner if she al- 
ready as a girl has learned to know the corporal and 
mental nature of the child and has been entrusted 
with the most important fundamental educational 
laws. 

Further yon should give to your daughter a w T ell- 
grounded example as to the calling of housewife, then 
and only then, if this obtains, will she understand 
how to fashion a home of her own into a place of hap- 
py repose and solid comfort for her husband and unto 
a cheerful educational centre for her children. Moth- 
er, early train your daughter to help herself, to order 
her own affairs, to arrange and to keep clean her own 
room without the assistance of strange hands. Edu- 
cate your daughter in the preparation of a good sub- 



310 'm& SCHOOL CHILD. 

stantial meal. Train her to wash and to iron, to mend, 
to darn stockings, to sew oai buttons and to make her 
own plain clothes. Teach her how to make purchases 
and an after-calculation as to whether everything ac- 
cords in price and payment. Point out to her that 
that one only saves who spends less than his income, 
and that a paid for calico gown clothes better than a 
borrowed silk garment or one purchased on credit. 
Instruct her to know the rich, healthful blessings of 
garden-labor and free nature. Lead her on, that she 
performs all household duties carefully, thoroughly, 
cleanly and thoughtfully. Make this thought her 
own, that one does not find true happiness in the rush 
a swirl of gay society-pleasure, but rather in the 
sweet circle of the family. 

If you, father, mother, are not richly blessed in tem- 
poral gifts so as to be able to give to your daughter 
equal educational advantages with your son. never- 
theless make every effoirt that she prepares herself for 
some lucrative technical calling. The openings for 
women today are so numerous that to make a selection 
will not be difficult. It is for your daughter a feeling 
of independence when she can say : ' ' I know some- 
thing. I can place myself upon mine own feet, I do not 
need to take the first best man who offers himself, just 
to be provided for." And if she some time marries 
and needs not to exercise herself for a livelihood in 
ihe vocation for which she has prepared herself, she 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 3H 

can well make use of what she has learned as wife and 
mother. This one thing- ever remains : in the grada- 
tions o«f womanly avocations the calling of helpmate 
and mother stand uppermost. 

"For nothing lovelier can be found 
In woman, than to study household good, 
And good works in her husband to promote." 

Respectfully yours. 

Ichabod Crane. 



312 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

A word with the fathers of the boys of your school 
concerning the following vital question introduced in 
the preamble of our preceding letter: 

What Shall Your Son Become? 

Beloved father, this question in the life of your son. 
is an important and responsibly-full one, and it should 
in the deepest solicitation move your fatherly heart. 
It is a question in the life of your child that wants to 
be timely considered. You thereby are dealing with 
something that has to do with the entire period of life,, 
and upon the proper selection of a life-avocation 
hinges itself that future weal or woe. Too often the 
father allows the son to drift indifferently along until 
perhaps he accidently drops into a place in the great 
industrial life of our country. 

Again, how many a young man has suffered ship- 
wreck simply because he was forced into a calling for 
which he was not fitted and unto which he neither 
feels himself called nor adapted and which, therefore, 
always remains to him strange. It is indeed bitter 
when anyone later declares: "I should have been 
something else!"' A wrong selection of a life-vocation 
many times spells a failure of life. Hence, indeed, 
father, yon should influence your son that he selects 
an occupation suitable for him. Guard yourself from 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 313 

saying: "My youngster must become that and that!" 
and then with force toi turn him upon the course for 
which you have set your head. How many a master 
mechanic's son must learn the trade of his father 
that the "beautiful business" may not become ex- 
tinct, but remain in the family. Guard yourself 
against forcing your son into an occupation for which 
he has neither talent nor adaptability. He will there- 
in never accomplish auy thing extraoirdinary and feel 
himself content. Pride in and love for a calling finds 
itself only there where vocational aptness is extant. 
A dislike for a calling at best only permits a medi- 
ocre success. In this age amid the sharp competition 
in the struggle for an existence each one must be men- 
tally, morally and physically well equipped to do his 
best, if not, he will sink toi the level of the common 
mass. It depends not upon what station your son 
later belongs or what rank he may take, but on the- 
contrary, that he entirely and completely fill his posi- 
tion in life's activities. In every place and calling, 
as mechanic, merchant, technicist, book-keeper, phy- 
sician, chemist, lawyer, educator, farmer, etc., he can 
become a useful member of society ; he can progress 
and gain for himself by thrift and industry a good 
income and a competency and realize a station of re- 
spectability and find his fullest contentment. 

True, often it is very difficult to determine just for 
what calling a boy may be best qualified and adapted. 
The parents, notwithstanding, should early in the life 



314 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

ojf the boy seek to acquaint themselves for what par- 
ticular vocation their son may be best adapted and 
wherein he may make a success in life. And father, 
for your guidance in this important matter, we here- 
with place before you a few observations: 

Observation 1 — Observe your son in his play. 

With truth does Schiller say: "A much higher 
sense often lies in the child's play." If your son 
understands how. through narration, singing, draw- 
ing, carving, etc., to awaken the interest, to draw the 
attention and captivate his playmates, this is a mark 
that he is talented for this. 

Observation 2 — Note wherewith your son during his hours of 
Recreation loves to be engaged. 

Many an otherwise indolent youngster, in his fav- 
orite amusement, astonishingly labors. When your 
son with delight again repeats an action, thereat shows 
industry and perseverance, then apparently he has 
therefor interest and inclination. Such activity 
should be for you, father, a good indicator. Follow 
him, and you will in most instances find the right way 
to lead your son into a calling wherein he can say : 
"Here I am in the right place." He then dotes hh 
duty with pleasure, and learning and working will 
then be for him easy. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 315 

Observation 3 — Seek to learn the inclinations of your son, 
whether they are for a practical or a learned 
calling. 

Notice in him whether lie loves to chisel, bore, ham- 
-saer and saw, to dig and to plant in the garden, or 
'■^whether he would rather be mentally engaged, and 
-from morning until late at night sit behind books. 
Many boys possess a so-called schootl-nndrestaiiding, 
the .ability to gain in a pure mental manner know- 
ledge. The opposite are the boys unto whom all sim- 
$&ie head-work is tiresome, but who, instead, are gifted 
•with a skilled hand, a practical sense and a quick un- 
derstanding for the outer-world appearances. Father, 
iff you have convinced yourself by a careful obser- 
vation that 3'our son is better adapted for some prac- 
tical occupation than for any of the learned callings, 
fifeen take him into laboratories, workshops, manufac- 
tories, places of business and exhibitions of mechani- 
cal appliances, and seek to learn for what particular 
-subject or business he manifests the greater interest 
^and attention and shows the most delight and liking. 

•Observation 4 — Do not postpone the decision as to what your 
son shall become until the last moment. 

If your son is a pupil in the common schools, then 

it is advisable to have struck some selection ome or two 

^years before school-exit takes place. Then will you 

leave sufficient time to further investigate whether he 

.-s really adapted for the chosen calling and to fill in 



316 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

the yet wanting conditions. When the boy is 10, the 
latest when he is 12 years old, the parents must deter- 
mine whether he shall go on in the full regular course 
oif the High School terminating with graduation, or 
whether his course shall be so arranged having in view 
College or University entrance, preparatory for some 
professional or technic avocation for his life's work. 

Father, if your intentions are that your son shall 
omly occupy the position and place of a common citi- 
zen and be engaged in some mechanical calling, see to 
it that he receives a well-grounded training in the 
fundamentals of a true common school education, 
which are: Reading, writing, spelling, U. 8. history,, 
geography, arithmetic, grammar and English compo- 
sition, that he may intelligently and intelligibly exer- 
cise his rights of American citizenship, since the 
strength and stability and continuity of these free 
heritages of our fathers depend entirely upon an en- 
lightened citizenry. 

Many fathers have the burning desire to exalt their 
sons educationally above themselves. This is indeed 
a praiseworthy ambition and highly to be recommend- 
ed. But the heights of foolishness is it when the fa- 
ther insists thereon that his son must study simply 
because he himself is an educated man and occupies 
a prominent place in some learned calling. A sensible 
father asks himself: "What occupation is for my son 
agreeable for his position and ability?" WTiat natural 
talent has mv son?" "Tn what calling shall he be able 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 317 

to accomplish the most, which shall be the best 
•adapted to him, wherein he shall feel contented and 
be happy!" 

Here let us place another question : 

When, Father, Should You Desist in the Encouragement of 
your Son to Study? 

Observation 1 — When he is not bodily vigorous. 

Boys who have delicate, weak bodies, who are suf- 
fering with weak nerves, heart-failure, wanness and 
spasms are for studying not fitted. Their sufferings 
will only be aggravated through study. They will 
not be able to withstand the exertions and excitement 
that are bound up in the many school-examinations. 

Observation 2 — When he is not gifted with strong talents. 

A boy should study, particularly for some learned 
calling, only when mentally well gifted, or else he will 
ever remain a mental cripple. Many a father herewith 
consoles himself, where there is a shortage of talent, 
that ability will manifest itself with ripening years. 
But the old adage remains notwithatanding true : 
' ' What does not stick in one, will not coone out ! ' ' Out 
of a greatly restricted head a clear thinker is never 
made. 

And now in conclusion yet one word more on this 
question : 



318 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Father, Mother, What Shall Your Son Become? 

"Rising' in life" and the having of lofty purpose*, 
and high aims should be encouraged in everyone, aiwfc, 
the highest places shorn 'd stand wide open for genu- 
ine superiority, but for you, father, to fill the head £>f 
your son with the selfish dream of the unattainable i& 
wealth and station, that he shall become a great bank- - 
er, an eminent jurist, an influential capitalist, a greafc 
industrial captain or a learned professional man, is,. 
pernicious and leads to discontent. Impress deeply 
upon the mind of your son that the talent of success. 
in life is always mutual, that his prosperity, t© fee- 
sound and true, must involve the prosperity of oila- 
ers and that one of life's highest and truest achie-v©-- 
ments is the doing well of that which one finds to d%. 
regardless as to the exaltedness or humbleness of fc; 
sphere and without any thought of fame. 

And, father, mother, above all more deeply impress^ 
upon the mind and heart of your beloved son that; 
he shall become a just, good and pious man! And wises* 
thereunto is added a firm self -consciousness, the ot&gr 
will the easier find itself than many expect, and mafc- 
impartial posterity will testify : 

"His life was gentle, and the elements 
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up, 
And say to all the world— THIS WAS A MAN!"- 

Respectfully yours, 

TCHABOD CRANKL 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 319 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

We are told that the ancient Greeks, notwithstand- 
ing their many heathenish rites, customs and practices, 
kept t&eir temples religiously pure, clean and undefined. 
The body is the dwelling place of the soul, and if it 
is to reflect through this tabernacle its highest spirit- 
ual and moral attainments in character-virtues and 
achieve the noblest end through its corporal relations 
in the true, the beautiful and the good, reaching to the 
very summits of human happiness, then truly indeed 
must this soul-sanctuary be kept inviolably pure and 
unpolluted through impure thoughts and unholy ac- 
tions. 

There is a period veiy fundamental in the life of 
the youth. It is that time physiologically designated 
as the period of adolescence, which is the beginning 
of the unfolding of manhood and womanhood. When 
the girl gradually passes from the awkwardness of 
her early teens into a graceful, attractive young wom- 
an, and the boy begins to develop in muscle and tone is 
given to the manly form. 

Now just prior to this time a certain sexual enlight- 
enment should be imparted to them ; the vital truth as 
to nature's course in them should be gently and judi- 
ciously broken by the parents, who stand parentally 
in the most confiding relations to their children. 

Too many times on account of a false modesty or 
indifference the son and the daughter are left to sex- 



320 TH E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ually discover themselves, and then sometimes through 
wrong* and pernicious sources. In the intimacy of the 
sacred precincts of the home through thfe father and the 
mother the great question as to the origin of life 
should be properly answered and the child timely 
enlightened. Father and mother: 

How and When Shall You Enlighten Your Child As To 
Sexual Matters? 

As we have already intimated, this is a difficult, 
and in answering an important and at the same time 
.also a delicate question, jb'atiier, mother, you must 
notwithstanding its delicacy propose and also answer 
it. If yoiu do not do so, then are you passing over to 
the great disadvantage of your child one of the prin- 
cipal educational questions in its life. 

The compass and nature and manner in which this 
enlightenment should be made hinges itself upon age. 
If, mother, your five-year-old son or daughter asks 
you : ' ' Mamma, whence came little brother, little sister 
that is lying in the crib and crying?" take the child- 
question quite harmless and answer: "Baby is from 
my body, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh." 
This is far better than to sa} r : "This the stork 
brought." The child thinks no further in its ques- 
tion and its answer than when it asks: "Mother, 
whence comes the rain?" In the stork-story, on the 
contrary, the curiosity-awakened child will be in- 
clined to further investigate and the untruth will come 
to the light of day. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 321 

If your eight- to eleven-year-old by-standing* son 
or daughter of like age desires a closer information 
as toi the origin of little children and you consider 
it as possibly misleading to enter into any converse 
with the inquisitive child, then answer in the wo>rds 
of an eminent physician: "Whence the little children 
come, this is something that you do not yet under- 
stand." 

An important time-period for the enlightenment of 
your son relative to sexual matters is from the 13th 
to the 14th year of his life. During this time the rip- 
ening of manhood begins (adolescence), the first move- 
ments of sex-inclinations manifest themselves and the 
danger is great for self-pollution. In most instances 
the son will, out of modesty and a feeling of bashful- 
ness say nothing, yet in defiance of all this there are 
questions stirring in his head pressing for an answer. 
Father, here you should anticipate that which ridi- 
culing comrades or frivolous servants may clear up to 
him in an impure and a vulgar manner. The duty 
Is yours to select a. proper moment and to speak to 
him, in all earnestness, affectionately and in a confid- 
ing manner, surrounded by only four eyes. You shall 
tell him that in his body an important change is tak- 
ing place and that because of this he must observe 
diverse things, that he should abstain from eating 
much meat, but that fruit, vegetables and faranacious 
foods should constitute his principal diet, that he 
should assiduously exercise himself, hike, swim, play 
21 



322 the school-child. 

ball and skate, that he daily take a cold sponge bath 
and dnring sleep not cover himself too warmly and 
shall after awakening immediately get up, and that he 
must not feel certain bodily portions, since it is injur- 
ious to health, that his physical, mental and moral 
fitness fundamentally depends upon the preservation: 
of his health during this changing period in his life 
if he would reach the highest stage of pure and noble 
manhood. 

When your daughter approaches the age of puper- 
ty and you note the bodily changes that are about to> 
take place, and when the time of her catamenial per- 
iod begins, mother, it is your most solemn and highest 
duty to calmly and timely instruct her concerning 
this. You shall tell her that her body is now so far 
developed that the time in her life has arrived when 
every four weeks she will lose some blood and will 
feel during the time somewhat abated, that this is 
nothing fearful and takes place with every healthful 
girl. Yet that during these periodical occurrences she- 
must somewhat save and guard herself from any 
strenuous exertions and particularly from the takings 
of cold. Your daughter will then behold these occur- 
rences as something natural. Something necessary in 
order to remain well and shall not further be disturb- 
ed as to these conditions belonging to her nature. 
Through secret doings she can become excited to sat- 
isfy her inqnisitiveness through meddling persons, 
whereby her imagination may be led into by-paths. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 323 

Father, mother, you will be greatly mistaken if you 
think that by such enlightenment-conversation you are 
going to belittle yourselves in the estimation and re- 
spect of your son, your daughter. Certainly, the en- 
lightenment must follow in a real manner, and so that 
your child finds therein nothing extraordinary that 
you should speak to it of such matters. 

Now a fixed time-period when such enlightenment 
is to be imparted cannot be laid down as a designated 
rule, neither for younger nor older children. However 
it is fundamentally generally better that the parents 
shall give this enlightenment rather one year too early 
than one year too late. 

Many fathers and mothers are very diffident as to 
speaking to their son and their daughter relative to 
matters of a sexual nature, because they fear that 
through their words they ma}' open up in the mind 
of their children the way for thoughts, representations 
and feelings that should yet remain to them strange, 
and leave it to chance, what, when and from whom 
they may learn thereof. Such a suppression of cer- 
tain essential information is not only doubtful, but 
particularly dangerous both to morals and to health. 
The child then wanders towards a dangerous abyss, 
and the parent omits here the performance of a duty 
in its enlightenment, "when the most difficult enigma, 
the strongest temptations and the most enticing seduc- 
tions oppress the young person." 



324 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Very truly remarks an eminent physician relative 
to this subject: "A timely, and presented in a proper 
form, enlightenment as to sexual matters can with a 
normally disposed child never beget improper feelings. 
To the pure all things are pure — yea, the knowledge 
of such facts is the best bulwark against eventually 
going wrong/' 

Parents, you have concluded to closely attach the 
instructions as to the origin of man to that of the pro- 
pagation of the plant and the animal ; how the wind 
or how the insects carry the pollen of the male blossom 
to that of the female and thus fructifying it, how the 
male fish spreads its milt over the roe of the female 
and in what manner the mamiferous animals beget 
their young. 

Now in this sexual enlightenment it hinges itself 
far more thereon how the child learns than what it 
learns. One must not expect to ) much from snch en- 
lightenment. A natural history information given to 
children as to fecundation and the organs of reproduc- 
tion can also be to them easily harmful, herein that 
it disturbs that child-like unrestraintness and inclines 
their attention upon certain details which the son. the 
daughter do not yet need to know. 

Father, mother, the principal thing after all is this, 
to protect the son, the daughter from sexual errors, 
mistakes and diseases, from an impure imagination, 
to keep them distant from all vulgar and common re- 
presentations, to unfold strongly in them a sense of 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 325 

shame and a feeling of accountableness and to awak- 
en in their will power a watchfulness that it makes 
the sensual nature subjected to that of the spiritual 
self, enabling them to resist its inclinations, cultivat- 
ing self-control. If unto the enlightenment an earnest 
will is not added, to keep oneself good, pure, clean 
and undenled, not to think of anything common and 
impure, not to speak of and not to do anything that 
is unholy and degrading, then indeed all enlighten- 
ment is useless and in vain. 

"Though I look old, yet am I strong and lusty; 
For in my youth I never did apply 
Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood, 
Nor did not with unbashful forehead woo 
The means of weakness and debility; 
Therefore my age is a lusty winter, 
Frosty, but kindly. ' ' 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane, 



SERIES D. 

LETTERS, 

THE SCHOOL AND ITS STUDIES. 



"I call that a school perfectly fulfilling its mission,, 
which is a place for the building up of genuine man- 
foood. -where the spirit of learning is baptized into the 
glory of knowledge and wisdom, quick to understand 
all things secret and revealed, where the emotions of 
the soul are brought into full harmony with all vir- 
tue, the heart m won by the love of God and filled 
with it that it is possible for all who are entrusted 
to the school to be led into true wisdom, to become ac- 
customed even here on earth to lead a heaven-like 
life." — John Amos Comenms. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 32$ 

Sleepy Hollow. 



Dear Margaret : 



During the most primitive ages of mankind man's 
wealth consisted entirely in flocks and herds, and he 
nomadically moved from place to place in the feeding 
of his sheep and cattle, and dwelt in tents, as did Ab- 
raham, Isaac and Jacob. These portable shelters be- 
came centres of worship and education. It was in 
these movable tabernacles that the ancient patriarch* 
gathered together as priests and instructors of the chil- 
dren of their sons and kinsfolk, teaching to them the 
rites and ceremonies of their religion and worship, re- 
citing to them the traditional lore of the family and 
tribe, and training them not to interfere with the par- 
ents' conveniences and unto an acquirement of those 
simpler arts that helped to maintain the economy of 
the family. 

This kind of an education was the best that obtained 
for many generations, and it Avas a long time before 
any attempt was made for anything better in their 
intellectual improvement as they succeeded each other. 
The earliest schools of a more pretentious character,, 
distinct from the family, of which we have any rec- 
ord, were those founded by the priests. As soon as an 
educated priesthood had taken the place of the "di- 
viners and jugglers." school of the prophets became 
necessary. This training, however, required for relig- 
ious ceremonials, the common life apart from the fam- 
ily, the accomplishments of reading and singing, af- 



330 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

forded the nucleus for the organization of a general 
culture and an opportunity for the efforts of the phil- 
osopher in advance of his age. The schools of Judea 
and Egypt were ecclesiastical. Those of the Jews had 
very little if any effect upon the peoples outside of the 
bounds of their own country, owing to their religious 
prejudices and seclusiveness and because of their edu- 
cational limitations; science was to them entirely un- 
known as a branch of study. On the other hand our 
obligations to the priests of the Nile Valley are great 
indeed, even though much of their learning is to us 
obscure. We have every reason to conclude that there 
is no branch of learning in which they did noit pro- 
gress and excel at least so far as observation and care- 
ful registration of facts could carry them. Their 
Universities and magnificent library were a source of 
enlightenment for the surrounding nations, where their 
young men chose to study — as for example the great 
emancipator of the Jews was thoroughly versed in all 
the learning of the Egyptians, and not only he, but 
all those who were most active in stimulating the nas- 
cent energies of Hellas were carefully to train them- 
selves in the wisdom of the Nile country. 

Secular schools were first founded in countries 
where the priesthood did not exist as a separate body. 
At Rome, until Greece took her conqueror captive, 
a child was trained for life's duties in the forum and 
Senate house. And it remained for the Greeks to 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 331 

first develop a science of education distinct from an 
ecclesiastical training. 

During that period of world history called the Mid 
•die Ages we find schools apart from the family, but, 
Jike those off the earlier ages of mankind, they were 
far from adding anything to the ethical and civic cul- 
ture of the child, and co-operating with the parental 
Jtome in the unfolding of mind and character and the 
ennoblement of the heart in the highest of moral vir- 
tues. They were largely presided over by pedants, 
\whose highest ambition was to get rid of their 
brains, to make room for the learning then extant, 
which was ' ' small Latin and less Greek. ' ' Also at this 
time schools were established by these monks for chil- 
dren; but their best and greatest educational qualifi- 
cation for the training of the child-mind was the 
handling of the rod — to cruelly treat and to unmerci- 
fully flog the child was the most that these tyrants 
did do and could da. 

Tt is indeed a long, long way from the family-tent 
schools of the nomadic tribes wandering across the 
plains of Shinar, the schools of the prophets in Judea 
and the priests of the Nile Valley, the centres of 
child-instruction among the Romans and the Greeks, 
and the " Scholastici " of the monks of the Middle 
Ages, down to the modernly equipped free school as 
found today in our common country, established in 
every rural district, hamlet, village and city, with its 
laboratories libraries, gymnasiums, recreation parks, 



332 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

flower gardens, beautiful green lawns and workshops^ 
oipen to all, rich and poor alike, and sustained by a 
public treasury, and which every American should 
cherish as one of the greatest boons of our 
free heritages and jealously guard the same against 
all sectarian encroachments. 

In the contemplation of the last general division :. 
"The School and Its Studies," we would preliminar- 
ily place before your kind patrons the following ques- 
tion for consideration, namely : 

What Should You Know About the Purpose and Duty of the 
School? 

To meet the many requirements which life places 
upon humanity, the education and culture of the fam- 
ily are not sufficiently far-reaching. Here the school 
steps in, supplementing the work of the home. The 
school as we see it at present takes its origin out of 
the labor-saving and labor-sharing necessity in pre- 
paring the youth for their future sphere and activity 
in life. 

The school has this purpose in view, to fit the chil- 
dren that they learn to love, to understand and to- 
per-form the duties which they once as members of so- 
ciety, particularly as members of the family, of the 
community, and as citizens of the state, shall have to 
fulfill. 

The school in tin 1 first place is a Medium of Instruc- 
tion. It imparts to the child knowledge (in History. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 333 

<Jeography and Science) and assists it in making its 
own certain practical accomplishments (as Reading, 
Writing, Ciphering, Singing, Drawing and Gymnas- 
tics). 

The school also, in the second place, merits with a 
full right the name: Medium of Education; since all 
instruction shall be educationally effective, having 
ultimately in view the betterment of the child, the 
strengthening of its moral will and the ennobling of 
its character. The necessary completion of that paren- 
tal home-education is offered in the following manner 
by the school. 

There the child enters into larger inter-relations'; 
its volitions will be subordinated to general rules. Its 
obedience must be more unconditional than in the par- 
ental home. The child comes into communication 
with o:ther children of parents occupying divers sta- 
tions and occupations in life. It will be placed upon 
itself and thus become self-dependent. Through the 
common instructions its animation unto activitj T will 
be excited and a delight in earnest labor, industry 
and a noble rivalry will be awakened. (Thereunto may 
be added that the teacher through his personality and 
example, his judgment and demeanor will education- 
ally influence the child, that in this circumscribed liv- 
ing together with other pupils it learns candor, affa- 
bility and courteousness, sympathy and public-spirit- 
edness, and through the school-observances, such as 
the birthdavs of men eminent in our country's his- 



334 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

tory, its patriotism and love for country will be cul- 
tivated and enhanced. 

The school of today is not simply, as those of am 
earlier date, a preparatory medium for that later 
practical life, but on the contrary it places its school- 
time beneath the sign of the shining sun. The teacher, 
not a domineering tyrant, but a good friend of the 
child, associating with it, and who for its thinking,, 
feeling and acting and foir its own disposition and. 
nature has understanding. 

The schools, the common schools, including the high- 
er schools, such as Academies and Colleges, shall not 
simply be knowledge-imparting centres and schools for 
learning. Their discipline, their teaching procedure- 
and instruction-matter shall be productive of mind, 
and character culture. A good teacher does not simp- 
ly impart to the child knowledge and understanding, 
but also a portion of himself, and if much of that 
learning is forgotten and must be forgotten to make 
room for newer and more valuable information, what 
the teacher offers as the outflow of his personality re- 
mains and influences the child for its whole afterlife. 

Relative to the domains of knowledge and under- 
standing, onir age has made very remarkable progress 
through the development of science and sociology. We 
have many more units of study in our schools today 
that our forefathers did not have. Yet regardless of 
these additional branches and progress, the highest 
aim foir which home and school, parent and teacher- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 335 

should earnestly and perseveringly strive is: The cul- 
tivation of the will of the child, to lead it thither that 
it becomes a religious-ethical character. The culti- 
vation of the will-power has a higher wbrtli than the 
cultivation of the understanding. Character is the 
greatest world-asset and power. 

"Blest is his life who to himself is true 
And blest his death — for memory when he dies 
Comes, with a lover's eloquence to renew, 
Our faith in manhood's upward tendencies. " 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



336 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : — 

Conscientious parents should place before themselves, 
two and three years before the entrance of their son, 
their daughter upon regular school-duties, this ques- 
tion: "In what manner can we best prepare our be- 
loved for its entrance at school ? ' ' 

The f amily can anticipate much for the school and 
give to it useful preparatory assistance. And the more 
productively and skillfully this takes place, the greater 
the blessing accruing therefrom for a child. The nur- 
sery reaches unto the sixth year of the child's life, 
and well earns this deserving consideration. "Since 
what may in it be spoiled, is weighty*, often never 
again to be made good. But also what, in it, good shall 
be planted and nurtured resists the summer heat and 
autumnal storm. ' ' A word with your kind patrons in- 
volved in the fallowing question: 

How Best Prepare Beforehand Your Child for the School? 

What the school expects from the home during that 
before school -duty time is by no means difficult of 
fulfilling. What the child should bring to school is in 
character three-fold, namely: (1) A healthful body; 
(2) a morally good training! (3) and a certain meas- 
ure of knowledge and understanding. In particular 
should you. father and mother, fulfill in your child's- 
preparation for school-entrance the following eleven 
rules: 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 337 

JRule 1 — Provide for it that your child is healthy. 

The more vigorous the child is, the better its food 
tastes to it, the redder its cheeks are, the less will it 
be affected by the atmosphere of the school-room and 
the school-labors, the more cheerfully and diligently 
will it learn, the easier will it be for it to fix its at- 
tention, the better progress will it make. Therefore, 
let it be your diligent care that your child vigorously 
unfolds itself. Give to it plenty of food agreeable to 
nature and do not spoil its stomach with candies, 
sweetmeats, bunbons, titbits and chocolates. Give it 
to drink pure water and good milk. Allow it to exer- 
cise itself much in the open air. Permit it to run 
about in the yard. The fresh air, excepting sharp 
winds, cannot be too 1 often enjoyed- by the child. 

*Rule 2 — Awaken and foster the religious sense of your child. 

The germ of a religious sense rests in the heart of 
every child, and should be timely awakened and nur- 
tured. This high, holy duty particularly falls to you, 
beloved mother. If there is living in your heart a 
faith in God, then also early will you plant it in the 
soul of your child. You will teach it to fold its little 
bands at your knee, and will teach to it a morning 
and an evening prayer. You will tell it that besides 
the father and mother whom it sees and hears, it has 
yet a Father in heaven, whom it neither sees, nor 
liears. but w T ho dearly loves it. You will, beloved 
22 



338 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

mother, to the questions oif your child: "Who made- 
the heaven and the earth?" "AVho permits the sun 
to shine?" "Who causes it to rain and to snow?" 
"Who permits the stars to twinkle and to shine in the 
sky?" "Who causes the flowers toi bloom?" answer l 
"All this a kind and loving God does." 

You will also during- confiding moments, when your 
child affectionately clings toi you, its arms about your 
neck, its eyes turned trustingly and devotedly up to< 
yours, say: "A living God sees and hears all. He 
permits the trees to blossom and the fruit to ripen - 
He gives you food and drink; He makes you well 
when you are sick ; He rejoices when you are true and 
good." Impress the feeling deeply and imperishably 
into its memor}' and heart that God is at all times 
near unto it. happily fortunate is that child that 
has a pious believing mother! 

Rule 3 — Accustom your child to o"bey on the word. 

From the 3d to the 6th year of life the obedience of 
your child should be a mechanical one. An obedience 
because of insight one cannot yet here speak of. Your 
will, father, must be for the child law. The plain 
"Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not" must suffice.. 
Say not: "Do this for me out of love." And stilt 
less say : "If you are obedient, then shall you receive 
a chocolate" etc. Should your child at any time ask:- 
11 Wherefore shall I do this?" then let your answer 
be short and earnest: "Because I have commanded 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 339 

it/' Be thereon insistent that your child, what it once 
for all times shall do, also does or leaves, e. g.^that it, 
before going to the table or to bed ; gathers up its play- 
things, that it diligent!} 7 performs the small duties 
which are committed to it in the room, kitchen, garden 
and yard, such as the regularly sprinkling of the flow- 
ers, the feeding of the canary bird at the proper time, 
etc. In order to avoid all misunderstanding, allow 
that what you have commanded or bidden to be verb- 
ally repeated. 

Rule 4 — Strictly insist thereon that your child always speaks 
the truth. 

The first best step for the love of the truth of a lit- 
tle child is openness. Naturally every child-mind is 
open and truthful. A from three to six year old child 
says what it thinks and feels. If it shows towards 
you, father, mother, reservedness, then enter into 
yourselves and ask yourselves : ' ' What indeed have I 
overlooked?'' Bear in mind that without censure it 
caunot proceed with a before school-duty child. But 
reprimand not too much, and when you rebuke, let it 
not be too sharply and be not rude. Because therewith 
you will intimidate the chiM. It will lose confidence 
towards you, no more tell you everything, seek to sup- 
press and to misrepresent things ; it will become un- 
true. 
Rule 5 — Accustom your child to order- 

Everything belonging to it should have a designated 
place. If it has played, it should gather up its play- 



340 THE SCHOOL-CHILE). 

things. Before retiring to bed it should carefully, 
as it undresses itself, hang upon a nail or carefully 
place upon a chair each piece of its clothing. It should 
not throw any paper upon the floor of the room. It 
should always keep its garments neat and clean and 
the rocin tidy. 

Rule 6 — Accustom your child to be polite, courteous and 
discreet. 

When your child wants something, then it should 
kindly bid, and when it has received anything, it 
should therefor thank. Do not tolerate it that it Cries 
and sulks, rants and shouts when you have denied 
unto it a request. Do not oversatiate the child with 
presents and gratifications. Give to it plain food, 
plainly clothe it, present to it simple playthings and 
hand to it no money just to foolishly spend. Your 
ehild should also be pleasing and useful. Would you. 
father, seat yourself, then it should bring to vou a 
chair without being told; it should also push the foot- 
stool under your feet and provide for you your h use- 
shoes. When you are coming into the house, then 
it should hasten to meet you, open the door for you, 
and relieve you of any packages or other articles that 
you may have brought home with you. It should 
quickly pick up whatever may have fallen to the floor. 
Every errand it should diligently and obligingly exe- 
cute. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 341 

Rule 7 — Lead your child unto the careful observation of 
things. 

Many a child cannot, when it enters school, yet pro- 
perly see and hear, even though it has healthful eyes 
and ears. It does not observe the words of the teacher 
and does not distinguish singly uttered sounds. In 
reading it does not distinguish the individual letters 
and in writing it observes not the copy. Would you 
correspondingly in purpose prepare your child for the 
school, then carefully cultivate its senses, and especial- 
ly those two higher, the eye and the ear. But how 
should you best begin this? Stir up your child unto 
a careful contemplation and observation of things. 
Make it acquainted with the outer characteristics and 
qualities of things that may surround it in the room, 
in the garden, yard, forest, field and upon the street. 
Point out and make clear to it that the ball is round 
and the dice square, the buffet high and the bench low, 
etc Direct its attention thereou that red, yellow and, 
white flowers abound, that many horses appear black, 
others white and others brown in color. And further 
point out to it that the starling whistles, the finch 
beats, the lark trills, the robin chirps and tho thrush 
imitates, that the brook splashes, the river rushes and 
tho st-rm roars; 

A sn ] endid mean for the cultivation of the eye of 
flip child is the observation of pictures. Therefore, 
when vonr child savs : "Father, mother, let us look 
at pictures!" then do not allow vourselves to be 



342 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

coaxed very long-. Seat yourselves with it at a table, 
explain to it this and that, and share its pleasure and 
gratification over what it beholds. 

Be herein considerate that you only convey through 
the ear cf your child . culture-matter. Readily arid 
willingly answer its thousand-fold questions: Relate 
.to it beautiful stories, fables and legends Allow it to 
sing as much as it pleases. The nursery shall not be 
soundless and songless. The more attentively your 
child observes and the more clear the intuitions it pos- 
sesses at its entrance at school, the better will be its 
ability to folloAv the instructions, and the more will 
for it the labor of learning be lightened. There is 
then laid through the home a good foundation upon 
which the school ean further build. 

Rule 8 — Insist thereon that your child speaks plainly. 

Do not undervalue the importance of this require- 
ment. Clear language and a distinct pronounciation 
give also clear presentations. The child speaks in 
school just as it has learned at home, good or bad. Be, 
therefore, observant that the child articulates well, 
and particularly that it does not indifferently pro- 
nounce the voxels, e. g., not the "o' ? like the "u." 
Tolerate not the suppression of any. consonant, e. g. 
'V "h',' and "r," nor the substitution of the "v" 
for the "w" nor vici versa. Do not speak to it any 
jargon, as "dada" for going out, "baba" for bed, etc. 
If the .child mispronounces a word or misplaces an 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 343 

accent, do uoit repeat it after it and do not laugh about 
it. Shun inelegant expressions, as "setting" for "sit- 
ting," "them" for "those," "to besmear" for 
* ' cheating. " When directing the child or otherwise 
speaking to it, then use proper literal models of ex- 
pression. Say not to it: " Tell mother, father be in 
the garden, ' ' but : ' ' Say to mother, father is in the 
garden. ' ' The child should always answer in complete 
sentences. If you ask the child: "What. do you see 
in the picture?" be not content with the answer: "A 
raven." But require it to say: "I see a raven." Of- 
ten commit to your child a charge which it has to 
verbally deMver to a neighbor or an uncle. Mother, 
allow it to again relate to you the stories that you 
have told it, and do not tell a new one until it can 
answer all the questions relating to the old one. 

Hule 9 — Give your child a certain amount of number-know- 
ledge. 

Many parents think they have shown to their child 
a kindness and rendered to the school a service when 
they have taught it to count from 1 to 20 01* even from 
1 to 100 and the beginning lines of the multiplication 
table, by repeating the figures and table" over and 
over until it knows them by heart. This is a mistake. 
Numerals to which the child attaches no conceptions 
remain empty sounds. Would you, father, mother, 
prepare your child for its arithmetical instructions, 
then proceed in the following manner: Ask it: "How 



344 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

many tables, how many chairs are standing in the 
room ? ' ' " How many fingers have you on each hand ? ' r 
"How many apples have you heretofore eaten !"' 
Present to it playing-dice, since dice are a splendid 
mean wherewith to impress upon its mind clear num- 
ber images, e. g., the surface of 4 prints has two twos, 
the 6 has two throes, the 5 has two twos and a one. 
Present to it building blocks, then place before it ex- 
amples like the following: Build a tower of 4, 6. 8 
and 10 stones; take 3 stones away. How high is the 
tower now? etc. Thus will the child learn through 
paying to add and subtract. Avoid all examples of 
pure numbers, e. g.. 6 plus 2; 7 minus 3; 6 multiplied 
by 3 : 6 divided by 3, etc. Always add to a numeral 
an appellative, as how many cherries are 3 cherries 
and 2 cherries? How many apples will remain if out 
of 5 apples you eat 3? 

Bule 10 — Instruct not your child in reading, writing and 
ciphering. 

To instruct the child before its entrance at school 
in reading, writing and reckoning is not only super- 
fluous, but even to its disadvantage many times. You 
will only thereby aggravate the learning of the child 
and the labor of the teacher.. Since the other children 
may not be in the same manner prepared, then after 
all your child must commence with the rest of the chil- 
dren in the beginning, and if it already knows much 
that is for the others new, then will it become wearied 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 345 

during the hours of recitation and study, losing pleas- 
ure, interest and delight in the instructions and will 
become indolent, inattentive and restless. Also it will 
be obliged to unlea<rn much if you have not taught unta 
it reading, writing and ciphering in a methodical 
manner, and this will neither be for the child nor the 
teacher pleasant. The learning over of matter is pro- 
ductive of displeasure and dislike. 

Rule 11 — Speak to the child concerning the school and the 
teacher always so that it delights in the school. 

Why is it that man}' a child looks forward to its 
school-entrance with fear and trembling? Many times 
because the mother, when she knows no more how to 
manage the family "scion," and does not know Avhat 
to begin with him, threatens him-. "You just wait un- 
til you first get to school! The teacher will quicklj r 
enough instruct you how to behave and obey. In 
school it is going to be an entirely different time ! The 
teacher will very soon drive out of you yomr rudeness 
and produce in you still-sitting! The teacher is not as 
good as I am ! ' ' Not sufficently impressed can the 
warning be against such talk, which places. the school 
before the child as a punishment-inflicting institution 
and the teacher as a terrifying hobgoblin. Father, 
mother, speak of the school and the teacher only in a 
friendly and highly esteemed manner, so that your 
ehiVl out of the fullness of its heart rejoices in the 
school and the teacher as being its best friend. 



346 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Not only in the lower, but also in the higher social 
circles it can occur that one expects of the school to 
make good whatsoever has been neglected in the family 
in the way of moral and spiritual betterment. Many 
a father says : ' ' Little children, one must allow them 
to do as they please. It is time enough to place them 
under restraint when they go to school." Another 
says: "When the youngster enters school, then will 
he soon learn to obey and disabuse himself of his 
faults." Such fathers consider not this, that what is 
omitted until the time of school-entrance, or has be- 
come spoiled, can scarcely again be made good. 

Father, mother, permit it to yet once more be said 
unto you, that the before school-duty age is exceeding- 
ly important for the whole later education of the 
child, that in the nursery the foundation is laid for 
the whole of its spiritual and will-direction, and that 
the instructive and educational activity of the school 
will only therein be crowned by a good result and 
with success when the child has been in the right man- 
ner through the home prepared for the school. 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 

*In paragraphs 2 to 7 thoughts are repeated which al- 
ready have been presented in several preceding letters. 
There they apply to the time of school-duties, but here to the 
time previous to the assumption of school-duties. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 347 

Slp;epy Hollow. 
JDear Margaret : 

In the annals of onr country we observe certain 
dlays, commemorative of important events in the his- 
tory of America ; such as Columbus Day, celebrating 
the discovery of the New World by Columbus; Inde- 
pendence Day, marking the beginning of a new era 
in the political life of the American colonies ; Decora- 
tion Day, on which we remember those who sacrificed 
their lives that this union of states should remain in- 
separably one. 

Then again there are in every family birthdays, on 
"which parents and children kindly remember each 
-other,- also there are some, commemorated by the peo- 
ple^ such as Washington's and Lincoln's as well as 
other Americans, eminent in the annals of their 
^country. 

There is, however, another day — a day in the life 
of every child, to which in the busy homes of our land 
^tor> little attention is paid, and which is not sufficient- 
ly emphasized, by the parents. This important day 
in the life of the child, when its school-duty age be- 
gins, marks the entrance upon another epoch in its 
•career, and it is a day that shall never again occur, 
like that of a birthday in its life. It is to this eventful 
day that we would kindly direct the attention of your 
patrons : 



348 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

The First School-Entrance Day. 

The first entrance at school ! What a lofty signilU 
cance it has in the life of the child ! Beloved mother,,, 
it causes to you great anxiety , the very thought deeply 
pricks .your heart that you shall not have your ''en- 
tire happiness, ' ' " your one and all, ' ' about you near- 
ly every day for long hours, that from now on you 
shall no more stand alone as the central point of its 
visible circle, that for your beloved now more of the- 
beautiful golden, unbounded freedom is gone. 

The day upon which the child for the first time 
with its knapsack on its back wends its way to school 
is for it great, a very important day; the entrance ire 
school signifies in its life a turning point. The 
play-age ends and the learning-age begins. The nursery 
closes itself and the school-room opens itself. Hither- 
to the child belonged entirely to the family, from now 
on it also belongs to public life. The child enters m. 
new world. A new life begins. Past are the days. 
of golden freedom, a happy unrestraintness and" 
thoughtlessness! Its occupation and time-di vision- 
changes itself. In the school everything for the child' 
is different from what it was in the home. Before it 
is standing a man, who is also going to make the same 
authority and right prevail even as the father. wh<v 
imparts demands and commands, who watches over 
its conduct, who under certain circumstances also 
decrees and executes punishments. The child enters 
into a circle of from 30 to 40 children of the same- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 349 

■ age, each one different in nature and disposition from 
the other; all with it are striving for the same end 
-unto which it must adapt itself. Its doing and know- 
ing will be compared with the rest of its comrades. 
The school-discipline forces the child to deny unto it- 
self much. Now instead of playing and an unre- 
strained freedom, earnest duty and occupation dom- 
inate. 

In the place of an unrestrained freedom of activ- 
ity, now long hours of tiresome still-sitting enter. 
The child mus1 subordinate itself and enter into the 
spirit of the larger association ; it must give up a cer- 
tain degree of its own ego; it cannot as heretofore al- 
ways hang unto the apron-string of mother; it must 
learn to stand upon its own feet. In all this there lies 
.a higher educational value. The school is a state in 
miniature. 

Also for the parents this first school-entrance day 
is an important event. Particularly you, beloved moth- 
er, are deeply moved. Earnest and joyous thoughts 
and feelings are passing through your soul. Before 
yonr spirit is standing the past, present and future of 
your dear child. You are thinking of the anxious mo- 
ments when you in fear and trembling were watching 
?>t the bedside of the beloved sick one. And thinking 
of the future, you are with a tremulous voice asking: 
"What will become of the little one?" "Shall the 
nopes that T so deeply pondered in my heart be 
-fulfilled ?" And out of the depth of your soul ascends 



350 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

this prayer to the Father: "Lord unto Thee do I 
commend my child!" 

Father, mother, the impressions received by ymst 

child on the first day of school will remain, never 
to be forgotten by it; yet in old age will it tenderly 
think of them. Therefore should you sharply empha- 
size the first school-day as an earnest and important 
event and solemnly and impressively prepare for it.. 
Dress the child in its Sunday clothes, yet do not over- 
dress it. Give to your countenance a holiday cheerful- 
ness. Father, hand over to it its knapsack and ai& 
other necessary equipment with the words: "This is. 
your school-outfit; diligently use it and keep it neafc 
and clean." Then, mother, take it by the hand and 
lead it to school and rejoice if it, with measured step,. 
with an important mien and a dignified carriage 
walks alongside of you. When it again returns home,. 
greet it, embrace it and gently stroke its cheeks; ex- 
tend to it your hand and lovingly and affectionately 
speak to it: "My child., be in school right conirteous 
and polite and at all times remain good, true ami 
pious." If you would, mother, further distinguish 
the day by this means, that you present your be- 
loved with a box more than ordinarily filled with candy 
and cake or with other dainty things, nothing can fee- 
said against this. 

Yet to one thing would we earnestly call your at- 
tention. When your child is suffering from a mentaft 
or bodily weakness, as deafness, short-sightedness,. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 351 

headache, bloodlessness, left-handedness, or if it is 
mentally weakly endowed, then neglect not to inform 
the teacher of the fact immediately at school-entrance 
or some time before, that he can from the beginning- 
have regard and consideration for these infirmities 
and sufferings. 

Father, mother, ponder well the words of a friend 
of children: "Picture to the child the school beauti- 
fully as a second home and fill it with aspirations 
for it." 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



352 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
£>ear Margaret : 

No doubt whatever exists in my mind but that the 
patrons of your school are looking in upon your 
school-labors and performances with pleasure and 
gratification. They are beholding the ripening fruits 
of your efforts in the progress, morally and intellect- 
ually that is being made by their children. 

This is all as it should be, yet too many times par- 
ents, while highly gratified with the results of the 
school as they behold its efficaciousness in the ad- 
vancement of their children, send them to school, feel- 
ing that by so doing their educational and disciplinary 
responsibility has been discharged, and that it is now 
shifted from their shoulder to that of the school and 
its authorities and that they should bear the whole 
burden, forgetting that the school is but an education- 
al supplement to the home, and that the relations of 
the home and the school should be co-operative, both 
laboring together unto the attainment of the same 
general end; that there should be an earnest division 
of disciplinary and educational duty and a supervis- 
ing responsibility; that at times the mother very par- 
ticularly and the teacher should counsel together and 
carefully talk over matters relative to the intellectual 
and moral well-being of the child. Hence would we 
address through you this question to your patrons : 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 353 

How Should You Go Hand in Hand With the School? 

Father, mother, you are the first, the most natural 
^ind nearest by duty bound educators of your child; 
until to that school-duty age its educational care lies 
■entirely with you. But from there on enters that 
higher demand, which the present time places upon 
the education of the child, that you alone cannot sat- 
isfy. Your power and time, your knowledge and un- 
derstanding are not sufficiently far-reaching f >r the 
anenta] equipment of the child that it may success- 
fully and intelligently fill its station in after-life. 
Here the school from the time of entrance steps to 
your side assisting you and supplementing your 
labors. 

Home and sclnol have a mutual weighty, sacred 
duty to discharge. And as in everything else, where 
several agencies are engaged in the self -same activity, 
all endeavoring to realize a like end, a unity of effort 
is very essential. So also in the sphere of child-edu- 
cation a mutual, sincere understanding and faithful 
co-operati')n are necessary. 

The parents cannot do without the school and an 
understanding with the teacher. Also on the other 
side, the best and most faithful teacher cannot real- 
ize what he may have in view if father and mother 
are not energetically standing at his side, supporting 
and promoting his efforts. The home dare expect that 
the teacher says and undertakes nothing that can 
harm or cast any reflection upon the parents, and 
the school can require that the parents in no wise be- 



354 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

little it and its representatives in the eyes of the 
child. 

The work of youth's education only succeeds well 
here where parents and teacher in mutual confidence,. 
in true love and in upright fidelity extend to each 
other the hand, in one mind and spirit working with 
the child and dealing according to the word of the- 
poet : 

"One must in the other gripen, 
One through the other bloom and ripen. ' ' 

An agreement between home and school is for the 
school-child what sunlight and sun-warmth signifies 
untD the development of the plant, Father, mother,, 
would you earnestly go hand in hand with the school, 
that the best results may obtain in the education of' 
your child, then continually have before you the fol- 
lowing few rules : 

Rule 1 — Bear towards the school and the teacher of your 
child confidence. 

Confidence you can only have in that one you well 
know. Therefore let it be, after the entrance of the 
child in school and later, every time it is promoted to 
a higher class, one of your first steps to personally 
learn to know the teacher of your child. Also by this 
manifest your interest and confidence in the school 
that you in the presence of your child always speak 
with respect of school and teacher. Take for your ex- 
ample that mother who takes care to say when the son 
asserts: "The teacher has taught this and that dif- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 355 

ferent than you," "Then indeed must the teacher be 
right, since he understands it better than I." Do 
not say, when you are not in sympathy with the meas- 
ures and methods of the teacher: "The teacher has 
done this incorrectly!" or when your child according 
to y.;ur judgment does not learn enough and does not 
show sufficient progress in its several studies: "This 
is the fault of the teacher; lie does not take sufficient 
pains with it!" or when the child has been punished 
because of some offense: "The teacher is partial and 
unjust'*' or when your child is not pleased with the 
teacher: "The teacher is too reserved and sullen, too 
strict, too old, too young!" Such offensive and dis- 
paraging remarks are fist-blows which shatter the 
picture, faith and love have woven. 

Perfect is no school, also no teacher. If you fa- 
ther, mother, are not in sympathy with the measures 
of the school or with the management of 3 T our child by 
the teacher, then do not permit any irritableness and 
displeasure because of your disagreement to come to 
the ears of the child, but seek hereby to anticipate all 
misunderstandings and ill-humors that you as soon as 
possible enter into communication with the teacher, 
and certainly the best and most judicious way is 
through a personal interview. 

Rule 2 — Manifest in that that takes place in the school and 
what in it occurs a lively interest. 

Conscientiously inspect the home-school labors. 
Make a careful observation of the notations as to 



356 TH E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

deportment and studies upon the report card. Permit 
books and writing- tablets with school-work thereon 
to be often shown to you. 

Diligently embrace the opportunities offering 
themselves whereby you shall be enabled to look in 
upoin the school-life. Take part in the school-celebra- 
tions, such as Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, 
commencement exercises, etc. Interest yourselves in 
school-festivals and school-excursions in all the sunny 
days of school-life. Graciously accept the invitation 
to attend Parents' Evenings and Mothers' Days. In 
such hours off entertainment, during which parents, 
teacher and children are associated together in festal- 
ly decorated rooms, amicable feelings and well-wish- 
ing thoughts on the side of the home and the school 
are awakened. 

Rule 3 — Express your appreciation for the school, the labors 
and efforts of the teacher in an ample remuneration. 

Father, your school is most excellently conducted ; 
your beloved teacher faithfully and conscientiously 
discharges every duty; your children are a ] l deeply 
interested in their school-work. You have in your 
selection of a teacher sought the highest intellectual 
qualifications and the most sterling virtues of heart 
and character and you have found all these in your 
ideal teacher. This is all as it should be, foir the 
person into whose care is committed the mental and 
moral training of vour child dare not be one of ordi- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 357 

nary ability and character. But how about the ex- 
pression in a tangible way of your appreciation for 
such lofty virtues and conscientious service ren- 
dered ? 

If your beloved child should be suddenly taken 
dangerously ill or be hurt the price of the foremost 
physician or the most skilled surgeon would not be 
considered if the child was helped and again restored 
to health. But, father, mother, how ab.>ut the teacher 
caking his or her place alongside of to aid you in the 
unfolding of the child-mind, the formation of a true 
character and the ennoblement of the heart? 

Is it not true that today in every department of 
material labor, where men and women are employed 
doing tilings with their hands, as engineers, mechan- 
ics, draughtsmen, industrial workers of almost every 
description and character, for which no* such large 
mental training is required as that for teaching, that 
many of these are getting in a few w r eeks compensa- 
tion an equivalent to the whole annual stipend of 
many a teacher? 

Parents, is there any subject of the community, of 
the state, in which every citizen should be more 
deeply interested than in the education of the chil- 
dren — the becoming citizens ? 

And is it alsoi not true that the average citizen 
is extremely averse to the increase of the local taxa- 
tion, that a greater compensation mav be provided for 
the teacher and for the better equipment of the 



358 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

schools! And it also appears that the average tax- 
payer is ordinarily interested in beautiful buildings 
more so than in paying the teacher a generous living 
salary equivalent tot the wages paid men and women 
in the more ordinary industrial vocations. 

Father, mother, the true teacher, his or her real 
worth cannot be measured by any decimal system; 
he or she is not only a person of natural intelligence, 
who was* specially trained, but also is essentially a 
person of character and lofty ideals, one who will in- 
fluence your child not alone for time, but for all the 
eternities before it. The loss in this one direction 
alone without speaking of the resulting limitations 
in intellectual progress and mind-enlightenment by v 
permitting the man and woman of the broader mind, 
higher intellectual attainments and nobler parts to en- 
ter other callings wherein their abilities are more 
fully recognized, appreciated and compensated, and 
employing those of mediocre qualifications and abili- 
ties, is beyond all calculation in the education of your 
children. 

Father, mother, all educational labor will best 
thrive when the highest teaching talent is employed, 
when home and school stand and work unitedly in a 
mutual understanding, next to this when they fully 
know and appreciate each other, and lastly, when 
they faithfully and earnestly labor for one common 
end, and never against each other. 

Respectfully yours. 

Tchabod Crane. 



THE. SCHOOL-CHILD. 359 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : 

No ome will gainsay the declaration as found in our 
last letter, that the greatest confidence should exist 
between the home, school and teacher, that the par- 
ents should be deeply interested in all the activities 
and occurrences of the school, that they should note 
with care the progress their children are making, their 
conduct and the disciplinary methods employed by 
the teacher and the school. 

But as they give faithful attention to all these 
things, is this the full extent of the parental co-opera- 
tion with the school? If the school is to be an adjunct 
in the fullest sense of the term unto the home, supple- 
menting its efforts that the best results shall obtain 
in the education of the child, then must not only the 
home give attention to the happenings of and the in- 
spection of the work of the child in the school and re- 
viewing the same with it. but alsoi it should direct cer- 
tain home-sehool-labors under the supervision of the 
school, such as the preparation of some of the lessons, 
the writing of compositions and the reviewing of al- 
ready received instructions. In many of our American 
homes these after-school performance-tasks are entire- 
ly neglected or left unto the indifference of the child 
without any parental interest in thm. In view of 
these facts we would be pleased here to present the 
following qustion : Father, mother: 



360 THE 8CHOOL-CHILD. 

Wherefor and How Should Your Child Perform Its Home- 
School Labors? 

These home-school-tasks are of great importance 
The school cannot disclaim them. They serve in- 
structively and educationally and in discipline. And 
at the same time they are an important link of union 
between the home and the school. Through them the 
father and the mother learn what the school requires- 
and performs, and how their child labors in school. 

These home-tasks are of twd kinds. The one aiming 
at the enrichment of the child's knowledge and espe- 
cially applying itself to memory, as the committing 
of poems and paragraphs of prose, the multiplication 
tables, tables of weights and measures, lessons in 
spelling, geography, history and language-vocabular- 
ies, etc. The others aiding at exercises in certain cul- 
tural acquisitions, as skill in reading, writing, draw- 
ing and ciphering. 

But yet higher is their value to be considered than 
for progress in knowledge and understanding; they 
are also to be treasured as means for the character 
unfolding of the child. By this means the child learns 
that it must again work out of school the home- 
brought thoughts and knowledge and indeed without 
its hoi p. offering unto it opportunities unto free and 
self-dependent labor and effort. 

In the school its will is supported by the inspection 
and suggestion of the teacher, but at homo teacher 
and school-mates are wanting. Here it must itself 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. ^gl 

think of everything. It must exercise itself in the 
overcoming of difficulties, thereby gaining mental dis- 
cipline; it must be observant as to the division, econ- 
omy and the employment of time, considerate in 
avoiding the dissipation of thought and exert itself 
in its self-dependent collection. It will thus by its- 
home-labors be greatly trained unto a self-dependence^ 
and its moral vigor will be strengthened. 

But. father, mother, if these home-labors shall bring, 
unto your child the desired benefit, then it is neces- 
sary that you stand towards them in a right relation, 
and carefully observe the following counsel and rules r 

Rule 1 — Provide for your child a place where it can work 
without being disturbed. 

The place should be well lighted. The light should 
fall from the left upon book and writing tablet. If" 
the child is working at a table, then there should not 
be standing about upon it in its way any dishes and 
other things. 

Rule 3 — Allow to the child the necessary time. 

It is giod and praiseworthy when the grown chil- 
dren learn to assist in the performance of the domes- 
tic duties of the home ; particularly the girl should 
help along in the house and the boy regularly do cer- 
tain chores; but this dai'e not go too far. There must 
also be time sufficient remaining for the performance 
of the school-labors and for recreation. As to the- 



362 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

time and the how long these studies at home should 
continue one must therein be governed by circum- 
stances; however the child must not labor in these 
home-task performances offered by the school until 
entirely fatigued. 

Kule 3— Fix a certain time when the child should prepare its 
school-lessons. 

This do, so that the child out of its own impulse 
goes to its school-work and does not allow itself to de- 
pend upon the memory of others and the necessity of 
being daily reminded thereof and to constrain it 
thereunto. Tolerate it not that in the preparation of 
its school-work it trifles and plays, that it in between 
does something else, as eat, amuse itself, read a story, 
etc. It should, therefore, merrily, one after the other, 
work out its lessons that it may have time for exer- 
cise in the open. If the child says: "I have not many 
lessons for to-morrow ; what I have I can prepare early 
in the morning." thus reply: "No, nothing shall be 
postponed until to-morrow!" Impress upon its mind 
Jefferson's rule: "Never put off until to-morrow what 
you can do to-day." Also thereo observe that it does 
not begin an important work, e. g., as an English com- 
position, waiting perhaps until up to the last hour 
before the time of its deliverance, but that upon the 
days when the home-lessons are short, few and easy, 
:t prepares for such duties. 

It is also of importance at what time of the day the 
child prepares its school-labors. The best time there- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 363 

for are the afternoon hours or some time in the. even- 
ing. Since the child, as is the rule in oiur public 
schools, must spend six hours daily in its routine of 
school-duties in the school, then for it there is none 
'other time left but some period during the evening, 
shortly after or before the evening meal. At what- 
ever hour in the evening the child may enter upon 
"the performance of these home-lessons, they must not 
: be continued up until the last moment before its re- 
tiring for its night's rest, since an immediate going 
•to bed after any strenuous mental exercise interrupts 
-•a quickening, refreshing sleep; hence it should first, 
before retiring, rest or take some exercise, as a walk 
in the open air. Also, the mornnig hours are inap- 
propriate, since it may then with hurry and haste 
o- and the prepa ration will be superficially and 
-defectively performed. 

Rule 4 — Assist not your child in its school-labors and pennit 
it not to "be helped by others. 

Many parents think that when their child is pre- 
paring school-work, some one should sit at its side 
and help it, be it father or mother, an older brother 
-or sister or a pupil from one of the higher classes. 
This is an erroneous opinion. Since home-school-labors 
always attach themselves toi matter that has been dealt 
with during the instructions and are so prepared 
that an attentive and industrious child with a pene- 
trative gift can without help solve and satisfy them. 



364 TH E SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Many disadvantages can follow in the wake of too-, 
much bj'-assistance. The more a child is helped and 
relieved of its own exertions and efforts to think and 
to try, the greater will become its dependence upon 
others, the less does it learn to stand upon its owtr 
feet, and the mare non-dependent will it be for that- 
later life. 

It is not harmful, but on the contrary it is very 
good, if the child at times must mentally, strenuously 
exert itself to now and then crack a hard nut. A 
child has. from a defectively performed task, which 
it alone has with severe mental strain accomplished,,, 
more gain than from a perfect product of which the 
half or three-fourths has been prepared by strange 
assistance. 

If the child is helped very much there is lying near 
this, a possible danger, that it may be led into unvera- 
ciousness in this, that it may represent this outside 
help in the performance of its tasks as its own an<L' 
thus decorate itself with strange feathers. 

Anything against this is unthinkable, but on the • 
contrary to be very much encouraged : When one as a 
matter of inspection and observation permits the child- 
to read and write; when one hears it recite stanzas 
of poetry, paragraphs of prose, language vocabularies 
and its spelling lessons; when one instructs it as t<* 
the method to be pursued in the solution of an arith- 
metical or any other mathematical problem that it does 
not fullv understand nor know how to solve: when, 



THE SCHOOL-CHILI). 365 

■ one in the reviewing- of an English or foreign lan- 
guage preparation says to it: "In this paragraph, in 
this line there is a mistake;'' when one makes clear to 
it what it did not understand in school and with it 
deliberates concerning the difficulties of a lesson and 
when one questions it relative to what it has learned. 

Kriile 5 — Attentively watch over the school-labors of your 
child. 

In the first place this is an affair of the father and 
the firsr ami second duty oif the mother. Would the 
lather keep his hand upon the education of his child, 
then must he not permit the vexation bound up there- 
with to irritate him. For the gain is a rich one. He 
closely learns to know his child as to its mental gifts, 
its industry and perseverance, its performances and 
progress, retains with the school and teacher a good 
feeling and intimacy., and enhances his educational 
influences over his child; 

Many a father says: "For the inspection of the 
school-labors of my son, my daughter, I have no time." 
This is not right. Rather than to neglect this he 
should omit something else, and where there is a will 
there is a way. Many pupils satisfactorily discharge 
their home-duties without any inspection. Others on 
the contrary work very unsatisfactorily without su- 
pervision, but by strict control they work well, even 
indeed extraordinarily. Certain it is that a child 
whose labors art 1 being attentively supervised bears 



366 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

towards them more interest than that one's doings 
for which father and mother have not even a pass- 
ing glance. Through this participation of the par- 
ents there will be in the child awakened perseverance 
and its pleasure in learning will be elevated. 

Rule 6 — Encourage your child when it cannot perform a task, 
to inform the teacher of the fact. 

It can easily happen relative to a lesson that has. 
been dealt with in the school-instructions that apupil 
did not fully grasp or has again forgotten it or por- 
tions of it, and because of this it is not possible for it 
to perform the home-tasks covered by the matter of 
instructions. Under such circumstances the best is 
that the pupil on the following day informs the teach-. 
er relative to the matter. But if the occurrence takes 
place several times, following each other in succes- 
sion, then should the father enter into an understand- 
ing with the teacher, together investigating, that they 
may confirm the cause, whether the trouble is owing- 
to inattentiveness and negligence or whether it is 
mental inability. 

The Question Yet to Answer Before Concluding Is: Under 

What Circumstances Should You, Father, Mother, Have 

Imparted to Your Child Helping Instructions? 

It can happen that a child generally does not ad- 
vance as it should, or in one or more branches strange- 
ly falls behind. Now before vou come to any con- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 3gJ 

elusion thereon as toi what should be done, you must 
confirm whether the cause is indolence or a lack of 
ability or sickness. In the first instance you must 
p T ace the child under sharper discipline, in both the 
other instances help-hours are the best means in order 
to fill out the gaps. And very particularly is it to be 
commended, when the child through sickness was 
forced to remain out of school for some length of 
time, and yet wishes to reach the required school- 
standard for promotion or graduation at the close 
of the school-year with its classmates. 

Respectfully yours. 

Ichabod Crane. 



368 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : 

Many parents are of the opinion that each child 
should receive instructions on the piano. And if one 
asks for a reason therefor, mother answers: "This 
belongs to a general culture. Good custom requires 
it. That and that school-friend of my daughter also 
plays. What these know my child shall also learn." 
The father places himself under the ban of this dis- 
agreeable fashion and in most instances voices its sen- 
timents. Father, mother: 

Should Piano-Instructions Be Imparted to Your Child? 

The presumptive answer to this query would be an 
affirmative yes, but, parents, before you conclude to 
allow your child to receive instructions upon the 
piano, consider whether it is well and vigorous 
enough to withstand the strain of these lessons along 
with its school-work without encroaching upon and 
endangering its physical well-being. For if your child 
shall in music-instructions make good progress, then 
much 'exercise is necessary. The instructions in music 
require of the child to sit still many hours during the 
week and rob it of much time for exercise in the open 
air. Tf you now observe that your child is overbur- 
ened through piano-playing and its health thereunder 
suffers, then delay not in giving it up. First comes 
health, then come the school- and home-tasks and 
then first side-hours. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 3(39 

Piano-practice requires not only finger- and arm- 
exertion, but also a grinding mental acivity, which 
fatigues the nerves. There are children who also can 
bear this extra physical and mental demand, but on the 
-average our children growing up in the large centres 
of population are not carved out of such timber, to 
-keep on in this without injuring their health. 

Certainly, father, mother, to you belongs the duty, 
if your child shows talent for music, to support and to 
foster this gift, but when toi it all musical talent is 
wanting, when it manifests a dislike and ill-humor 
for music-instructions, when you remark to your- 
selves that it does not get beyond jingling and bungl- 
ing, then apply the time to something different or 
allow the child during the time to exercise itself in the 
open. 

But if you have come to the conclusion, after a 
mature deliberation, to permit your child to take 
piano-instructions, then do not begin them too early. 
During the first two school-years think not of them. 
The child must first become bodily more vigorous and 
mentally riper, must first be fully permeated with the 
life of the school and here acquire for itself a firm 
foundation before anything new can be undertaken, 
following this observation, noi instructions on the 
piano shoiuld then begin until the tenth or twelfth 
year of the child's life. 

An eminent specialist on nervous diseases has. after 
many years of experience and careful investigation* 
24 



370 ™E SCHOOL CHILD. 

verified this conclusion that a. large number -of the 
nervous afflictions of young girls have herein their 
origin that they much too early and far too young de- 
voted themselves to piano-playing. Out of 1000 girls 
examined, who already at the age of twelve years 
received piano-instructions, 600 were nervously af- 
flicted, while of such, who first after the age of 
twelve years touched the keys of the pianoi, only 200 
out of 1000 showed any signs of disturbances in health. 
Respectfully yours. 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 371 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: 

We have every reason to believe that in your school, 
like in all properly conducted schools, a daily record 
is being kept relative to the character of the recita- 
tions and the manner of the behavior of each and 
every pupil and that from time to time a report is 
made as gleaned from these daily notations and sent 
toi the parents, as to the progress in study their chil- 
dren are making and their demeanor in school. All 
this is an arrangement in the interests of the school, 
but yet very emphatically of greater value to the 
home. Hence, we would be pleased to call the atten- 
tion of your patrons to this practice of the school and 
urge each one to carefully and attentively 

Observe the Deportment Card of Your Child. 

Through this deportment card issued by the school- 
authorities, you, father and mother, learn in the short- 
est and quickest manner how yotur child conducts it- 
self and how it performs in school. The card is a state- 
ment of the child's entire bearing at school. Often 
the judgment of the parents will be enlightened by 
these deportment cards brought home by the child 
from school, as to its character, talents and executive 
ability, so that they will neither over-estimate nor 
underrate it, as to its mental gifts and character-vir- 
tues. 

The deportment card holds before the child a mir- 
ror. And this is good, since children seldom have a 



372 ™« school child. 

clear and certain uncle rstanding concerning- .their 
worth or unworthiness. In all of life's situations as to 
man's bearings, there are two conditions, namely, his 
conduct and executive ability. If one seeks from some 
one a judgment as to another, he will naturally ask : 
• ' What is he ! ' ' and. ' ; What can he do ? " With the de- 
portment card of the child in school it is exactly the 
same. 

Father, Mother, as you carefully peruse these re- 
port-cards as they are brought home from time to 
time by your child from school, the primary purpose 
of your observations should centre itself not so large- 
ly in the ascertainment of its degree of standing in 
the various units of study by it pursued. While this 
is of interest and not to be overlooked, yet it is of more 
vital importance as to how well it has in all its school- 
activities emphasized the following character-virtues : 
Deportment, Industry, Attention, Order and Per- 
formance. These should claim your foremost atten- 
tion. 

Deportment. 

The most important notation to be found upon the 
report-card is that of moral conduct. In the deter- 
mining of behavior there is taken into consideration 
the bearinor of the child towards the teacher and the 
school-mates and its demeanor in and out of school. 
If the daily school-record indicates no fault, then the 
notation should be 100 per cent. Disobedience, stub- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 373 

bornness, defiance, whispering without permission, 
lieing, quarrelsomeness, immoral dealings, etc., cut 
down the marks for morals. Each lower degree indi- 
cates a shortage in demeanor and calls forth a repri- 
mand. If a child has not received in morals 100 per 
cent., then it is the duty of the parents to enter into- 
^i consultation with the teacher, to counsel with him 
in what manner a betterment can 1 fleeted. 

Industry. 

For industry the child should receive 100 per cent, 
if it during the entire month or term in learning, in 
the preparation of its home-tasks has met the stand- 
ing requirements of the school. A defective industry 
herein shows itself, a negligent and indifferent prepa- 
ration of a lesson, the inexact rendering of any writ- 
ten work, the careless committing of memory-matter 
and similar things all tend unto the lowering of the 
average. 

Attention. 

In the notations for attentiveness there is not mere- 
ly to be considered the child's sitting still, but above 
all its inward interest and careful participation in the 
recitations and attention to the instructions. These 
should be carefully observed. 

Order. 

In noting a love for order, the whole outward bear- 
ing of the child, its neatness, cleanliness and punctu- 



374 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

ality, particularly also the manner of home-paper pre- 
paration and arrangement, is taken into account. Also 
in the event that the notations in industry and atten- 
tion fall below the expected possibilities of the home. 
the parents should speak to the teacher and seek to 
establish the cause, whether perhaps a lively temper- 
ament or mental inability or sickness ( Anema, ob- 
'struction in nose-breathing) is the fault. 

Performance. 

In the progress of the pupils of a school in any sin- 
gle unit of instruction the notations in the perform- 
ances vary and are very unequal. This is owing to the 
great differences -in the corporal and mental endow- 
ments. This is natural and to> be expected. In the de- 
mands upon the knowledge and understanding of a 
child parents should presentiate upon themselves the 
truth of this adage: "Beyond one's knowledge no one 
can be obliged to go." The good will to do the best, 
to obtain a good percentage for themselves is present 
in all unspoiled, well-behaved children. If now such 
a child has made every effort and has fully and entire- 
ly fulfilled its duty, then should the parents with 
mildness and without any reproach otr displeasure ac- 
cept a 70 or 80 per cent. : they should exercise gentle- 
ness and forbearance, encourage the child and kindly 
acknowledge its good will and industry. 

Father, mother, would you gain a clear picture of 
your child as a pupil, then compare the notations for 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 375 

attention and industry with those of performance. If 
the percentage of conduct, industry, attention and 
order are good, but those for performance very mo- 
derate, then should yoiu say: "Our child deserves 
praise; it has shown a good will and done its duty; 
learning is for it difficult, since it is not strongly en- 
•dowed, mentally." But if the notations for industry 
and attention are moderate or poor, on the contrary 
those for performance notwithstanding sufficiently 
good, then should you remark: "Our son. our daugh- 
ter could indeed do better, but wall noit. We must, 
from now on, more sharply control our child, con- 
straining it more unto industry and attention." 

Many parents believe that when their child has 
received low marks for performance, they must se- 
verely proceed with it : they scoild it. violently re- 
proach it. they indeed threaten it: "Woe unto you 
if you drop behind,^ if you are not promoted!" What 
are the consequences because of such imprudent re- 
marks? The child becomes timorous and anxious, it 
will be discouraged, lose confidence in itself and look 
each time with fear and trembling to the day upon 
which the deportment cards are handed out. Its 
school-time, its childhood will be embittered, made un- 
pleasant and darkened. 

The parents should not over-estimate and also not 
undervalue the significance of the report-card. They 
by no means form an infallible foot-rule for gauging 
the talent and mental performing- ability of the child. 



376 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Thereunto may be added that the proper determina- 
tion of a percentage is a difficult matter, also that the 
most conscientious and virtuous teacher can at times 
err. For a half degree up or down the best pupil can 
help nothing. 

The schood-notation is in nowise any criterion for 
the getting-on in later life. Experience has mani- 
foldly taught that not every "head-boy" in school 
has also shown himself "head-man" in life, and that 
many an one, who in school occupied a middle-place 
and belonged to the low averaging pupils, brought 
things unto a creditable position and became a cele- 
brated man. Aptness rests not alone upon school-wis- 
dom, but yet far more upon clear thinking and a re- 
solute mind. 

Generally the average in the individual studies for 
the first half of the school-year is not as good as for 
the second half. The reason therefor is that the pu- 
pils have not yet learned as much in a half year as 
they have after a year's study. 

The parents should have right soon the deport- 
ment cards placed before them, where possible on the 
day it is handed to the son, to the daughter. If it first 
takes -place a few days later or on the last day before 
the school again begins, then there can arise within 
the child's mind the supposition that to the parents 
it is a matter of indifference whether it brings home 
a good or bad report-card. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 377 

It is the duty of the parents to closely examine the 
report-caSrds and compare later ones with earlier ones, 
then to embrace the opportunity to impress upon the 
child either that it is progressing well in the self- 
same manner as heretofore, or that it shall better it- 
self. The interest that the parental home takes in the 
results of the child's labors in school and evidences 
the same by a careful observation of the deportment 
cards as they are by it brought home from time to 
time, is for the education of the school-going child a 
weighty factor. 

Parents, you will observe that not all the units enu- 
merated in this letter are generally found upon the 
cards of deportment as issued by the schools of our 
land. If the school your child attends has no place 
upon its issued term-reports for industry, attention, 
order and performance, then would it be well for you, 
father, mother, to make it your duty to yourselves 
observe how these virtues, so essential in late" life, 
are unfolding themselves in the character o~ your 
child, and to cultivate and foster the same in its home- 
school duties or enter into an understanding with the 
teacher of your child relative to reporting the same. 
Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



378 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : 

If the wheels of the school-machinery could be sot 
arranged that they always would run smoothly by 
having the children all to make equal progress in 
their studies and participating in the same degree of 
standing in conduct, all being thus uniformly pro- 
gressive and good, then indeed would there be no 
friction. But since all are not equally gifted corpo- 
rally and mentally, nor all having the same home-en- 
vironment and similarly disposed industrially and 
attentively in school-performances, hence notwith- 
standing the conscientious discharge of duty and per- 
severing, painstaking efforts on the part of the teach- 
er, many children will, not move forward in school 
as they should, and some falling entirely behind in 
the educational race, unable to reach the fixed goal. 
"While we are unable to propose a remedy for such 
school-ills, yet notwithstanding, if your kind patrons 
will observe what is here presented in answer to the 
following question, they shall have certain preventa- 
tive means, that such school-troubles may be avoided. 

Wherefor Do Many Children In School Not Properly Move 
Forward? 

When the performances of the child in school are 
not satisfactory and faulty, when it brings home poor 
averages, then is many a father quick with the decis- 
ion nearest at hand: "Yom are lazy, you deserve the 
cane!" This manner of talking to a child is inconsid- 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 379 

-srate and unpedagogic. Before you, father, so speak 
4,q your child, you must investigate and confirm the 
reason wherefor your son does noit move forward in 
-school. The treatment must be according to the ail- 
Kient. 

Cause 1 — Many a child does not move forward in school he- 
cause it is weakly endowed and has a phlegmatic 
temperament. 

Under such conditions it is difficult to help matters. 
The nature of the child will not permit of a change. 
One cannoit require of a child weakty endowed and 
of a phlegmatic temperament that it unfolds a power- 
ful, joyous, forward-persevering activity. Here one 
with an over-measured severit}^ accomplishes noth- 
ing. Here only mild means can effect something. 
Father, permit it not to vex you, to encourage the 
child, in, and oblige it to labor. Be not sparing 
with acknowledgments and praise, and reward it 
when at times it has finished a particularly good per- 
formance. 

Cause 2 — Many a child does not move forward as it should 
because it is sickly. 

When a child in school only slothfully performs 
its duty and at home rather inactively sits and stares 
mt the flight of a house-fly instead of being engaged 
in its school -work, then will father and mother read- 
ily conclude upon laziness and think of measures of 
"force in order to drive this idler to his books and tab- 
lets. But here much forethought is commanded. 



380 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Many children who are chidecl as "lasy hides" de- 
serve not the name because they are sick. To learn thi^ 
is often difficult, since in most instances the transi- 
tion from being well to that of being sick is so grad- 
ual that it is unnoticeable. How many an inattention 
and much backwardness is traceable unto an ear or 
nose suffering ! Therefore should parents pay partic- 
ularly observant attention as to the disease of these 
organs. 

Experience has verified that children who at night 
snore and restlessly sleep and then during the day 
are slothful and inattentive in school, after a respon- 
sive medical treatment in a short time again regained 
their corporal and mental activities and very soon- 
caught up to their classmates. Therefore, father,, 
mother, you only dare speak of laziness and think 
of stringent disciplinary measures when you have- 
carefully observed your child and have confirmed 
that it is entirely well. 

If by the school you are advised to refrain from 
any expected promo tioin of your child into a higher- 
class, since it, because of the advanced mental re- 
quirements, may severely suffer in health, then be 
therefor thankful and follow the well-meant counsel* 

Cause 3 — Many a child does not move forward in school be- 
cause of an indulgency in alcoholic drinks or ci- 
garette smoking. 

Unfortunately there are still yof parents in defiance 
of all enlightenment bulletins and monographs, who- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. ggj 

are of the erroneous opinion that beer and wine are 
nourishing and strengthening means for larger chil- 
dren. Medical science has irrefutably pointed out 
that the indulgence in alcoholic drink is directly for 
children very harmful, that its influence is not only 
physically, but also mentally : detrimental, causing 
i,he child to be indolent, inattentive and stupid.. The 
same may be said of cigarette smoking by growing 
~boys; it also has the same mental and physical de- 
teriorating effects. 

<?ause 4 — Many a child does not move forward in school be- 
cause it has too many dissipations. 

In many families children are detracted from their 
school-activities by this means, that one permits them 
to take part in children-associations and children-clubs, 
by taking them night after night to picture shows, 
by having them accompany the parents to concerts 
and theatres, by permitting them to indulge in all 
kinds of favorite amusements. Here is a boy who hast- 
ily performs his school-tasks in order to spend hours 
with his camera or some other sport. Another spends 
every spare moment in the reading of books, magazines 
and the daily paper. It is then no wonder if the boy 
becomes fickle, makes in school no progress and re- 
mains behind the rest of his classmates. 

Cause 5 — Many a child does not move forward in school be- 
cause it is spoiled at home. 

It can happen that parents, whose child does not 
'.make sufficient progress, place without further in- 



382 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

vestigation the fault upon the teacher: "He does noir 
understand the management of the child, gives to it 
lessons entirely too long, his instruction is not suffi- 
ciently captivating." Parents who indulge in re- 
marks of this character need not wonder when their 
child becomes lazy and provides for the teacher in the 
recitations and instructions difficulties. 

It is also pampering when the child is helped too 
much in the home-school-labors and is relieved of the 
efforts to do its own thinking and investigating. The 
child will then depend upon strange help and im 
school be always inattentive, getting more and more 
behind in its class and studies. Already many a boy- 
has, by this manner of home-spoiling, become a class, 
straggler and a "still-sitter." 

Father, mother, guard .yourselves against this, tha£ 
your child shall attain unto everything without stren- 
uous exertion ! Be not too indulgent and yielding ; a» 
effeminate education fits for nothing. It is unto this 
a hindrance, that in the child a strong feeling of dutj 
and responsibility unfolds itself. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. '"'<-■■ 3^3 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret: 

Says Sidney Smith : ' ' Be what nature intended you 
for, and you will succeed ; be anything else, and you 
will be a thousand times worse than nothing." 

During the spring semester an apprehensive sigh 
passes through the home. The notations that the son 
brings home or are sent directly to the parents from 
the Grammar School, Academy or College have badly 
fallen below the standard of the required average as 
laid down b}' the school for promotion intoi the next 
advanced class, and upon many of the cards this cut- 
ting notice will be found: " Cannot be promoted." 
This information crashes upon the ambition of many 
parents like a thunderclap : 

Your Son Cannot Be Promoted. 

The reasons wherefor a pupil is not advanced into 
the next higher class can be threefold : A long contin- 
ued absence from school on account of sickness, weak 
in endowments, indifference and slothfulness. In the 
two first instances mildness and forbearance are pro- 
perly in place, but in the last instance sharp measures 
of discipline are to be employed. 

A circumstance like the following deserves partic- 
ular consideration, when a pupil of a higher school on 
account of deficiency in talent is obliged to take over 
again the studies of his class. This to parents is gen- 
erally a severe humiliation, they would force matters* 



384 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

that their son shall some time "study" is a foregone 
conclusion, and this also without any consideration 
whatever as to his aptitude or inaptitude for the call- 
ing upon which they have for him resolved. Parents 
many times allow themselves to be led by a false am- 
bition and an unauthorized feeling of position. It 
mortifies them, and it is to them disagreeable, that 
their sou shall remain behind the sons df their rela- 
tions and acquaintances. It has happened that a de- 
luded mother answered the president or principal who 
advised her to take her son out of College and to send 
him to some scientific or technical school: "It would 
he a shame to take my son out of College. The sons 
of all our acquaintances are attending College." Thus 
will many times the life-fortunes of a child be offered 
because of outer circumstances and social prejudices. 
Instead of giving to the son on account of his medi- 
ocre endowments or inadaptability for academic stud- 
ies, a practical calling for which the common schools 
would sufficiently prepare him. the parents have con- 
cluded their son shall worship at one of the shrines of 
the three "black graces," Physic, Law and Divinity, 
that a position of honor and respectability may thus 
be attained; that it would be more honorable and re- 
spectable for him to handle the lancet rather than 
the chisel, to write briefs rather than to raise cabbage, 
to wear the surplice rather than the blouse and over- 
alls. Accordingly he is pitchforked through a course 
of Latin and Greek, attends a course of lectures on 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 3g5 

medicine, law or theology, crams for an examination, 
gets his diploma, and with all the blushing honors 
thick upon his head settles down perhaps to kill peo- 
ple scientifically — to pour, as Voltaire said, drugs of 
which he knows little into bodies of which he knows 
Jess, or perhaps to hang out his shingle as a legal 
practitioner, attaining unto that distinguished honor 
•of being a pettifogging shyster before the courts of 
■a rural magistrate, or perhaps he may enter the 
Church, there to be an irrepressible ministerial candi- 
date. 

The result of sueh a deluded pride on the part of 
the parents is that many a good carpenter and suc- 
cessful merchant is spoiled, that an injustice is done 
to the anvil and throttle and that fraud is committed 
upon the corn-field and potato-patch. 

As soon as parents are apprised of the fact that 
the endowments of their som are not sufficient for the 
pursuit of Latin and Greek, that he has no aptitude 
for the sciences and scientific studies, that he takes no 
interest in higher mathematics and does not make suffi- 
cient progress in the same to warrant a continuation 
in the academic studies, they should nbt allow them- 
selves to be deluded with the hope "that the knoit 
must split," but they should as soon as possible 
change. For the longer they wait, the more time is lost, 
the more money it costs, and the greater the pain and 
vexation, the solicitation and chagrin. 
25 



386 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Also conditions like the following- can occur, that 
a pupil well gifted and having reached the class-mark 
required by the school for advancement, but in defi- 
ance of all this the school-authorities propose to the 
parents to desist in the anticipation of its promotion 
intoi a higher class, since it, because of the greater 
requirements that shall be placed upon it, may cause 
it to seriously suffer in health and that it may men- 
tally become ill-disposed, when seeing placed before it 
a task which it cannot in defiance of all honest wil- 
lingness and effort accomplished. Such an earnest and 
timely advice the parents should indeed take to heart. 

Parents should not always look upon it as a misfor- 
tune when their son is not promoted. Sometimes this 
remaining behind proves unto him a great blessing. 
If he only can be advanced with a push and a crack,, 
if he has not grown into the offered requirements of 
the higher class, then gradually will his interest di- 
minish in the there offered matter, becoming dis- 
interested, indolent and lazy and must be driven to 
the performance of his home-tasks or he plows with 
strange oxen. How entirely different it is if he re- 
mains behind' and again takes over the class-work. The 
performance of the lessons offered daily will to him be 
easy, the praise he earns, the better percentage he re- 
ceives will further a love for labor, add wings to his 
performance and attune him happy and cheerful. The 
remaining behind pupil has become an entirely dif- 
ferent one. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 387 

Also parents should, whose son in the higher school 
does not meet the requirements for promotion, remem- 
ber that God has variously distributed to children 
mental gifts. There are boys who for scientific pur- 
suits and the study of foreign languages or for higher 
mathematics are not gifted, but possess power and tal- 
ent for other things and in other practical depart- 
ments through their performances greatly distinguish 
themselves. 

The number of boys is not small who entirely upon 
the foundations of a good common school education, 
as merchants, mechanics, bankers and captains of in- 
dustry, pushed forward, forging for themselves 
through their own energy, perseverance, grit and in- 
dustry positions of honor, trust, responsibility and re- 
spectability. 

' ' One science will only one genius fit ; 
So wide is> art, so narrow human wit. ' ' 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



388 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Marga ret : 

I can almost hear your happy and joyous pupils 
passing the word : "Summer is here ! And teacher says 
that there will only be so many more weeks of school 
until vacation shall begin." The long days, the burn- 
ing rays of the sun, the sultry air call forth the wish 
frcim the people of our large cities: "Get out from 
the stone walls, away from the surging masses, away 
from the noise and out of the rush! Away into the 
solitude of the country, the seclusion of the moun- 
tains and the salutary breezes of the sea-shore!" Va- 
cation ! For the diild-soul this is a word of magic — 
an open Sesame ! What expectations, what hopes are 
hidden in its folds ! In the word summer vacation 
the child thinks, as it tramps day after day to school, 
there to sit still for long hours and to strain its head, 
of a golden freedom and of delightful rambles over 
field and through glen, of sunshine and forest-odors. 
Therefore, you, parents, when your boys and your 
girls in radiant delight return home with the jubi- 
lant cry: "We have now vacation!" then courageous- 
ly rejoice with them and put forth every effort that 
the summer vacation shall be a means for their phy- 
sical recuperation, that they may return to their 
studies at its close invigorated for another year's men- 
tal activity. Father, mother: 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 389 

How Should Your Child Spend The Long Vacation? 

Vacations occurring during the school-year, wheth- 
'ier long or short, are for the children necessary because 
of healthful and educational reasons. The corporal 
and the mental in children and youth directly stand 
significantly reciprocally active one upon the other. 
What exerts not an inward influence upon the child 
of man, that attends school, suggest i n. change, fa- 
tigue and also often entanglement ! The school-work 
is straining upon the child and consumes a portion of 
its bodily and mental vigor and indeed in a 
time of rapid growth. Were no pauses to intervene, 
soon symptoms of sickness would manifest themselves. 
The principal aim of a vacation is, therefore, to fore- 
stall injury to health through disease, that might en- 
ter the school-life of the child, ti call forth corporal 
development and to recuperate in physical vigor for 
the ensuing school-year. 

Scientific investigations have incontrovertibly es- 
tablished that when the school-labors uninterruptedly 
continue for a long time, not only the growth is im- 
paired and the nerve-power exhausted, but also that 
the child easily becomes mentally tired, that with it 
the energy diminishes and its performances become 
more deficient. The observation has been in a general 
way made that pupils after a period of proper rest 
are fresher and more joyous in and more capable of 
work. The rest-periods also serve to this end that the 
child reviews the received knowledge-matter and that 



390 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

it then first becomes to it a mental possession. Fur- 
ther the child should during the long vacation dili- 
gently read in the book of nature, thus widening its 
circumference of observation and enriching its treas- 
ury of ideas. 

'•Bead nature, nature is a friend to truth, 
Nature is Christian, preaches to mankind, 
And bids dead matter aid us in our creed." 

In order to provide for the child these mental and 
physical possibilities, it does not need a long railroad 
ride, it is not unqualifiedly necessary that it goes far 
away from home, toi the sea-shore, into the mountains 
or country, etc. Diligent hikes in the neighborhood 
of the home-place, to stay with the grandparents, or 
with an uncle or an aunt out in the country is also 
good. A child needs little, far less than what the 
parents think. Garden, field, meadow and forest, barn 
and hennery, bugs and butterflies can produce great 
pleasure and delight for the city-child, yet adding 
thereunto a few playthings and it is happy. It aspires 
and wishes only for changes, unrestrained, free tumb- 
ling and playing beneath God's blue heaven, an in- 
ward and outward living-out of self. 

Many families with children, particularly such of 
the larger cities, go during the long vacation either 
into the mountains or to the sea-shore. For the youth 
up to the fourteenth year the ocean-beach is to be pre- 
ferred because of its sands. There the boys can dig 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 391 

Avith their toy shovels, build water-ways with draw- 
bridges, fortresses with trenches, etc., and the girls 
out -of the wet sand can form loaves of bread and 
cakes and mould other things. The impulse unto ac- 
tivity finds here a large field. And the freshened 
faces of the children, reddened and brownd by the 
sun and the salt-air of the ocean clearly show how 
goiod for them the sea-shore outing is. During the va- 
cation the children should leave books, compositions 
and writing tablets in a safe place somewhere in the 
library; you should not oblige your son nor your 
daughter to practice on the piano ; for one of the prin- 
cipal conditions essential for a healthful and mental 
effect of a long vacation is that the child be entirely 
free at this time from all the requirements and per- 
formances of the school. It would be well for parents 
to generally entertain this conclusion, that vacation- 
labors even as free-will performances are inadmissa- 
ble and particularly for young children. Let the child 
during the summer vacation rest mentally, let it 
dream and romp ; you will afterwards mark it how 
rich it thereby becomes. 

Father, mother, if your child spends its long vaca- 
tion in this manner, it will have therefrom foir body 
and mind, for heart and disposition a rich gain, and 
will delightfully and with pleasure think back over 
those happy days. Parents, one more word with you 
relative to this long vacation. Is it not too long, does 
it not mean to the ehlid too manv times more harm 



392 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

than good, and should not the schoiol-year be length- 
ened or less studies be erowded into it ? 

All the preceding- possibilities herein enumerated,, 
such as vigor of mind and bocty, the reviewing of the 
accumulated knowledge-matter and the making of 
it, its own by so doing, the forming of a closer ac- 
quaintance with the world of nature, during the long 
summer- vacation, are possible of achievement provid- 
ing all things are equal and parents have earnestly in 
view the mental and physical recuperation of their 
child in their visit to some popular vacation resort - r 
but too many times the candy-stand, the soda-foun- 
tain and the ice cream cone get the better of the in- 
dulgent mother through the continual importuning 
of the child, and the result often is, the child is physic- 
aUy worse than what it would have been had it re- 
mained at home, guided by regularity of habit and 
attended a short-term summer-school. 

Then also all fathers and mothers are not so for- 
tunately situated, pecuniarily, that they can take their 
children during the summer-vacation and sojourn 
with them for a season b}^ the sea or in the mountains, 
and particularly those parents who are dwelling in 
the densely populated tenement districts of our larger 
cities. 

Also, is not the summer vacation too long, and 
would it not be advantageous ti the child if we had 
at least a short summer term of elementary instruc- 
tions? fn reviewing the history of public instruction,. 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 393 

we find that in the beginning of our common schools- 
of our country the school-year was divided into four 
terms of twelve weeks each with a week's vacation 
intervening each term. Gradually holidays were add-* 
ed, shortening the school months and the number of 
school-days, diminishing them to such an extent that 
today 'we have only 180 days of actual school during 
the entire year, which means just this, that children 
who are never absent attend school less than half the 
days in the year oir little better than one hour out of 
eveiy ten. Now, parents, it is very apparent that 
many of these days represent a great waste of pre- 
cious time and puergy. And a ] so the fact is that dur- 
ing all this shortening of the sch )ol-year we have been 
lengthening the course of study by adding new units 
unto it. 

The cry might be raised that by having more school 
and less vacation you will endanger the health of the 
children. If all things were equal, if the children, 
especially those of the densely populated centres of 
our country, could go with their more fortunate 
schoolmates to the ocean-beach or out into the coun- 
try, there to enjoy a normal life with plenty of fresh 
air and out-door recreation, and with regularity eat- 
in q substantial, wholesome food, drinking pure water 
and retiring punctually at proper hours, then indeed 
there would not be any argument for a short term of 
summer school or for a shorter summer vacation. 



394 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

But according to the actual existing conditions of 
today there are thousands of children scattered f rum. 
the Atlantic to the Pacific in the thickly populated 
tenement districts in over-crowded and badly venti- 
lated homes which they are occupying with no room 
whatever for recreation but the street, while if they 
were in school during the summer days, the school- 
room would not be crowded beyond its regular capa- 
city, and more, the room could be kept comfortable 
by the introduction of electric fans if necessary and 
the gymnasium would be open for exercise. Here chil- 
dren would be beyond all danger to life and limb and 
away from the baneful influences of the profanity 
and vulgarity of the street, and also the good health- 
habits formed would not be forgotten through a long 
absence from school. 

Anoither far-reaching benefit would result if we had 
less vacation and more school. Notwithstanding the 
lauded freedom and enormous wealth of our country, 
our economic conditions are such that many children 
are forced, as soon as they are able ; to join the great 
arnry of wage-earners. Either they are obliged to help 
support the family or to lessen the household expenses 
by earning their own means of livelihood. Many of 
them are obliged to leave school long before they 
should. 

Now, if we had more school and less vacation these 
pupils would be farther along in their studies when 
this earning-period would arrive in their school-life 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 395 

-and many more might be well on in the High School 
^aaad strenuous efforts would be made to complete the 
«ourse and graduate before quitting school. We can 
safely conclude that by having a longer school -year 
5& larger percentage of the next generation would be 
High School graduates, and consequently the citizen 
<o£ tomorrow would be much better educated and bet- 
ter prepared to more intelligently exercise his right 
of suffrage than the average citizen of today. 

Father, mother, we will now leave the whole sub- 
. jeet to be determined by your enlightened wisdom and 
.judgment, whether it would be better not only for 
your children, but for the children of every commun- 
ity, if they had more school and less vacation during 
each school-year and whether it would not be better 
for them morally and physically if they were longer 
«nder the care and supervision of the teacher rather 
limn on the streets? 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



396 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

Sleepy Hollow. 
Dear Margaret : 

If the perusal of these letters through you to your 
patrons has proved to them as interesting as their 
writing has afforded to your correspondent a pleasure,, 
if the mutual relations between them and teacher has- 
been enhanced and a deeper educational interest cre- 
ated, then indeed does he feel himself amply remu- 
nerated and rewarded for his strenuous labors expend- 
ed in their production. 

The slogan of battle by the allied armies in the 
world's most terrible conflict was: "Make the world' 
safe for Democracy!" This is indeed a very beautiful 
sentiment and one worthy of the greatest sacrifice, but 
a world-peace ?«nd a world-democratic safety cannot be 
furthered through armies, navies and laws. Infinitely- 
the most important factor in the true democratic pro- 
gress of aicountry and the maintenance of a perpetuaL 
world-peace is a system of education. But the query 
is: What kind of an education? A system of "Kul- 
tur" recognizing might and power as the most signal 
factors?" Noi! But an intellectualism that constantly 
turns to the heart fir guidance, that is fully con- 
scious of the great truth that temperance, purity,, 
truth, goodness, justice, righteousness and honesty 
cannot be thought-out. but that these ennobling char- 
acter-virtues in the life of an individual or a nation; 
are the ripened fruits of the life of the spirit. The 
product of an educatiou linking heart and head to- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 397 

:gether by a systematic imagination conducive of that 
.power to penetrate the hearts and minds of others, 
and a desire to help others in their way and not the 
way we prefer, actuated by that beautiful unselfish 
-spirit which prompted the altruism of Jesus. 

If your patrons would do something noble to safe- 
guard the free institutions of our beloved land, and 
earnestly aid in the perpetuation of those civic here- 
ditaments of our fathers unto the generations of to- 
morrow, then should they strive to well perform that 
educational duty devolving upon them as parents. 
And in so doing they must not depend upon custom 
and usage, upon heart-fancies and so-called common 
*ense, but they should deal with the subject according 
to well established laws, confirmed principles, the out- 
growth of certain proper experimental observations 
and logical deductions and sequences from rational 
conceptions. 

And we hope that in the perusal of these letters 
your kind patrons may have been in a measure intelli- 
gently enlightened relative to some of these education- 
al laws and principles. But educational rules intel- 
ligibly thought-out are not all the factors entering 
into a full elucidation of the problem as laid clown 
in the preamble to our last word> A teacher-person- 
ality and a good curriculum also enter as very essen- 
tial elements. To-day with our intense materialistic 
objectives and large industrial possibilities, we are 
dangerously losing sight of the main and fundamental 



398 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

purpose of education. It is too largely of a technical" 
organization, having in view the production of an in- 
tellectual "automaton" capacitated to dexterously 
execute certain financial and mechanical measures^, 
forgetting the higher aim, which transcends all tbts^. 
namely, to fit men for life, its duties and responsibili- 
ties, instilling in them: 

' ' Some scorn of self and hate of wrong. ' ' 

Thus as our concluding word we would kindly di- 
rect the attention of your patrons to this vital ques- 
tion : 

What Should You Know Concerning The Units Of StmiyT 

Father, mother, you may in the first reading of this 
superscription conclude: "This letter does not eoi$— 
cern us, this is only for the teacher. Courses of study;, 
and the several branches taught are of no interest £o> 
us; we are only looking for results." You are great- 
ly mistaken ! The more parents know about the sub- 
jects of instruction, the more will they interest them- 
selves in the same, following attentively the progress 
of their child, and through this participating interest 
enhance their love for and delight in learning. 

The number of branches taught in the schools of' 
our country is numerically large, and they shouMt 1 
not be chosen for the accomplishment of some exterior- 
end, but rather should be arranged according to the 
requirements of the school, having in view the haiv 
monious unfolding of the mental and moral powers o£ 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 399 

the child. The various subjects of instruction as 
taught in the schools of our country may be classified 
intoi the following general groups, name] y: Branches 
of Fact and Branches of Form. 

The Units Of Fact. 

Are (Biblical history in the home) History — An- 
cient, Medieval, Modern; Geography — Decriptive 
and Physical ; Natural History — Plants, Animals and 
Man; Astronomy; Geology; Mineralology ; Physics, 
Physiology and Hygiene ; History of Literature. 

The Units Of Form. 

Are instructions in English ; Reading, "Writing, Or- 
thography, Orthoephy, Etymology, Grammar, Compo- 
sition, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, In- 
dustrial Training, Domestic Science, Drawing, Music 
and Gymnastics. 

Religious Instructions. 

Father, mother, this is the crown of all the units 
of instruction ; it is not only the most worthy, but also 
the most difficult subject to be taught. It has in view 
this end, to call forth and to unfold the religious-eth- 
ical sense of the child, to lead it into the history of the 
Christian religion. The religious representations and 
thoughts should penetrate the heart, unite with the 
feelings, and should forthwith strongh T move the will 
and call forth the resolution to follow after the ex- 



400 THE SCHOOL CHILD. 

ample that Jesus has given in a manner of life and 
service. If religion denotes a natural blossom on the 
tree of human existence, then does the same also be- 
long unto the necessary continuation of its life. The 
man with religion, the godly man, is richer, stronger, 
he is more man than that one whom we must designate 
as religiousless. This denotes not only that the godly 
man through his religion is equipped for the struggles 
of life, that he much easier bears his sufferings, more 
forcefull.y offers resistance to the temptations of evil, 
it may be also added that the godly man everywhere 
and always leads a life of intrinsic worth, that he sees 
what to others remains concealed, that he hears where- 
of the religious man understands nothing, yea, that 
he represents a higher degree of the unfolding of 
man's existence and is actuated by a finer organiza- 
tion of the spirit. 

The home-nursery is the true centre for the laying 
of the foundation and for the first nurturing of this 
finer organization of the spirit, and not only for this, 
but the fostering source of all child-education. For 
how can you plant a godliness and a faith in the heart 
oif the child, when in the family-life these virtues are 
not reflected? How can you accustom the youth unto 
a faithful performance of duty and educate them unto 
a strong religious character, when the parents are not 
living before their children a life of God-fearing in- 
tegrity? Of what use is it for the teacher toi speak in 
all earnestness and sincerity of praying, when father 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 401 

•and mother in their joys and sorrows never turn their 
countenances to their Father in heaven, but instead 
perhaps are daily profaning* His holy name ? What 
dose it help the children in school if they are force- 
fully exhorted to obey the commandments of God, 
when they are at home violated without fear? 

As Pestalozzi would have arranged the school-room 
according to the pattern of the living-room, soi also 
should the teacher, that he may exercise a beneficent 
personal influence upon the child, learn his art from 
the mother, naturally from a right mother, who in her 
an other-love possesses the correct instinct and finest sen- 
sitive feeling for all that is good and morally salutary 
for the child. But as loudly as we to-day praise the 
name of Pestalozzi, just as far have we gotten in- 
wardly away from his spirit. We believe more in the 
education than we do in the method, that is, the mod- 
el, than in the man and his creative powers; we ar- 
range our home much after the pattern of the school, 
than, that we arrange the school after the pattern of 
the home. Our living- and children-rooms have grad- 
ually become auxiliaries of the school, where for 4;he 
school there is being studied either before- or after- 
lessons of the school or the instructions of the day 
reviewed, but no time or room any more on the part 
of the parents to live foir the little human being that 
at one time wants to be but a child. In this absorp- 
tion of school-duties the fate of all religious education 
is sealed in most instances in the home. Whether the 
26 



402 THE {SCHOOL-CHILD. 

children properly cipher, read elegantly, write beau- 
tifully and dance gracefully interests most parents, 
but whether their offspring find themselves right in 
the sanctuary of their souls, whether they are true 
and healthful in feeling and learning to understand 
their own higher dignity of human nature, all this- 
concerns them very little. 

True, there are yet homes in which the children are- 
obliged to say their morning and evening prayers, 
and are taught to repeat a blessing at meal-time,, 
where they are questioned as to their Biblical history, 
heafd to recite their catechism and Scriptural texts; 
and if herewith a religious culture would be pro- 
duced, then indeed would there be no want in relig- 
ious character and pious persons. But for him who 
has deeply penetrated into the heart of the life of the 
spirit, all this is not yet religious education: yea, this 
can destroy that religious impulse of the child-heart 
to its very root instead of stimulating it and further- 
ing its grotwth. 

Father, mother, you must bear in mind that relig- 
ion is not the committing to memory of abstruse, cut 
and dried doctrinal formulas, often stated in archaie 
language, but on the contrary, under all circumstances. 

It Signifies a Free Life of the Inner Man — a Healthful De- 
velopment of the Life of the Spiritual Nature of the Child 
as Contrasted With Its Intellectual and Social Side. 

If religion signifies the free life of the inner man, 
then it is something that only permits itself to be lived? 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 403 

and experienced, but not to be learned from books, 
taught and defined. Every unit of ; instruction em- 
ployed in the school-room and every technical accom- 
plishment permit themselves to be acquired through 
instructions, but religion is neither one nor the other; 
it is a state peculiar to itself , and a warmth of the sen- 
sibilities, a feeling and power of life. But warmth in- 
creases itself only in the flame of other warmth^ life 
only fructifies itself through other life with which it 
comes in contact and unites with it. What we know 
of religion, what we can learn of it and instruct, this 
is not the warmth of its life, but its outward peculiar 
results, the precipitating effects it may have produced 
in the single life of an individual or in the collective 
life of a nation. 

Father, mother, your children have religion — the 
intuitive germ of that life of the spirit, before they 
can know and understand that which you may in re- 
ligion teach them, yea, before they have heard uttered 
in a general way the name of God or before they have 
themselves spoken it. 

See ye not their blissful smiles as you affection- 
ately greet them ! Behold ye not how they stretch their 
little hands as you step before their crib ! This is nat- 
ural instinct, you say ; yes, very true indeed, but it is 
•that self -same instinct that leads man to religion, that 
natural impulse of love which aspires after a commun- 
ion with other love; that help-seeking casts about it- 
self in order that it may find a hold in its own help- 



404 ™ E SCHOOL CHILD. 

lessness and weakness. It is the most primitive and 
simplest suppliant gesture through which the poor 
heart struggles to extricate itself from this earthly 
environment. 

Behold ye not the child pla3 r ing with its doll, a mis- 
erable block of wood, an inanimate lump of clay, or a 
bundle of soiled, torn rags! Your critical look induces 
a smile as you observe this innocent unintelligible 
childish play, but for the little heart there is in this 
childish play a deeper, holier sense. The doll is to it 
a sanctuary, while it can give to it something, provide 
for the same, foster and care f oir it ; and all this dead, 
worthless plaything becomes for its spirit living, it 
takes all the cripples, the lame and the blind out of 
its child-room upon its heart and there invites them 
to a. love-feast, which it playing offers to them. This 
is again religion, natural child-religion as the primi- 
tive races of the world felt it, as divinity was yet a 
Fetish, to which they reverential ly looked up, to 
which they brought the offerings of their love and 
honor. . 

"Like the poor Indian whose untutored mind 
Sees God in the clouds or hears Him in the winds." 

The look of the child dreamily strays out into the 
world, it beholds its blossom and light, its life and 
form, and out of the flower on the window there steps 
near unto it a miracle of life; in the ray of light it 
greets the redemption out of the hoiariness of the 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 405 

night ; how it stands still in a reverential awe before 
the unintelligible and the incomprehensible, which it 
scarcely dare touch, and yet it feels itself attracted 
to it as by a magical force. True, it more and more 
learns to know the things of its environment as harm- 
less trifles; the awe of reverence gradually abates as 
it daily behnds the same things and has placed itself 
upon trusting feet with them. 

But alwa3 T s something new discloses itself to it, no 
■end of the world does it see before it; it hastens to- 
wards the rainbow-colors that it may touch them, but 
the same suddenly vanish before it into the infinite; 
it ascends the mountains and the pinnacles of its 
home, behind which, to it, the world apparently seems 
to end, but it beholds before it only new and greater 
worlds. This is again religion, already higher, riper 
than that of the cradle and nursery, it is a presenti- 
ment of the infinite, the eternal which has to it arisen ; 
yet one more step of the spirit and it will stand before 
the All-embracing, the All-sustaining One, who pre-, 
serves you, me and Himself! 

Here we have all the constituent parts, the real 
primitive elements of religion ; these we do not need 
to provide, for the Creator Hiimself has laid them 
deepV in the heart of the child • they belong to na- 
ture, to< the original essence of man. All the fostering 
of religion has nothing more important to do and 
nothing that will be more rich in results, than to pro- 
tect these religious life-germs and to provide for them 



406 ' rHi ^ SCHOOL -CHILD. 

nourishment until they become strong and are taken 
up into activity and discipline of the thinking human 
spirit to be made fruitful in the dealing and willing 
of the man. 

But this very thing we neglect, and believe that we 
must do for the child fundamentally the very oppo- 
site. The most natural is for us too natural even in 
the religion of the child; we are too deeply imbued 
with the popular methods of to-day, notwithstanding 
their indifferent results. In our efforts to awaken in 
che heart of the child a religiousness, and many times 
when these methods fail or to make them more effect- 
ive, we hold over the child a repulsive threatening 
rod, as we warningly point it to God with His re- 
wards and punishments instead of through love living 
ourselves entirely into the soul of the child and thus 
laying a firm foundation of faith and trust whereon 
an entire life of nobleness and purity can be erected. 

The love of the child is exceedingly full in its de- 
mands upon the parents. It will not only for tliem 
create pleasure and delight, in that it is so rapturous 
and lovely at the growing human blossom; it will 
form between itself and them an unwavering faithful- 
ness that even will continue wiien unholy and repul- 
sive propensities make themselves observable in the 
child. Love desires not only that the parents are at- 
tached to the child as long as it will-less and helpless 
hangs to them, but that a communion of spirit be cre- 
ated which shall never cease when even in a developed 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 407 

character in- the self-dependent becoming personality 
a strange, a not-I stands towards the parents. 

Father, mother, we begin, as with many other un- 
dertakings, too often, to build the house from the 
top downwards. So also in our religious instructions, 
then Ave are surprised when it is shaken by the wind 
and tumbles down. We begin with God. then would 
we come out from Him to man instead of first begin- 
ning with man and from him proceeding back to God. 
Man we see, man we feel, the child also sees and feels 
him the very first and the most near, and everything 
godly, all things lovely, great and good which ap- 
proach near to its heart, this is the first pathway lead- 
ing to God, whom it sees not, but seeks, that it may 
feel Him. Therefore is this the base of all religious 
education : That the child in the living man finds con- 
templative material and intuitive matter of an infi- 
nite power, that may within its breast become living, 
and what we relate to it of other good and pious per- 
sons, this only reaches it first through us. thereof it 
understands just exactly so much as it can transfer 
of the related back upon us. making the same for itself 
possible of contemplation as it beholds the pointed- 
out virtues reflected through us. 

What we live before it in mercifulness and patience, 
in high, earnest moral perseverance, in purity of 
heart, sincerity of purpose, in meekness and kindness 
and in a courage for veraciousness, this is to the child 
the first and most convincing evidence of a God. this 



408 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

is its Savior, its Christ, its Joseph and its Mary, it is. 
to it heaven, out of which the angels of God descend 
to bless its young heart. Since I have observed to how 
many children this heaven remains closed from youth 
up. since then I am no more surprised that among- the 
older ones of to-day there are so many who have so 
little God in their lives and a recognition of a dutiful 
responsibility toi Him. We may preach and teach, 
write books and employ every other outward method 
and means, all will mean little or nothing if we cannot 
point to the child God, who in man, in us, in our lives, 
has gained foirm through those ennobling virtues by 
a iif< 1 of the spirit, as exemplified in the Christ. 

Also unto life, unto the world and to nature the 
way of the child leads first through man. Therefore, 
heaven also only relates to it concerning the glory of 
God, just so far as it has learned to read life's lan- 
guage in all that has, to it, become living through man. 
"How can one be pious who loves not the beautiful, 
here godliness is love alome the most beautiful there 
is!" But beautiful is everything wherein a ray of 
godly life respendently shines and over which is lying 
spread a breath of that godly human essence. How 
beautiful to the child becomes the old doll because 
it relates to it of burning tears of love, wherefrom it 
became moistened, of sorrow and joy concerning a 
whole life and life's history to which it has been a 
mute witness! Beautiful to it becomes the old tree- 
trunk in whcise shade it played, the narrow decaying 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 409- 

hut, the dirty gutter-stone itself, the old oaken bucket 
by the well, which all, in it, call forth a sweet home- 
reminis<-euee ; beautiful to it becomes everything that 
to its heart becomes living and that awakens a silent 
aspiraion or an effusion of feeling'. 

Therefore, the way leads to God through the per- 
sons we love, further through the things we love, not 
because they are useful objects, but because they are 
a living testimony of an eternal heart -love of which 
they relate to us. He who finds life in all things upon 
which the human eye once rested, what once agitated 
the human heart, comes through this life to the God 
who indeed dwells not in temples made by human 
hands, but who, Himself, everywhere gives breath and 
life. Father, mother, do you think that your child 
first needs the sun to ask about it : ' ' Who made it to 
shine so beautifully?" or that it first needs that in- 
finite host of stars in order that it may reverentially 
stand still before Him who leads and guides them all 
in the great canopy of the heaven? Ah, no, it only 
needs a little grain of sand which the wind picks up 
and wafts hither and thither, or still better, a little 
handful of earth and a wee small black seed that un- 
folds its secret life in a "Teen blade, in order that in it 
there shall arise a presentiment of the creative power 
of God. 

Father, mother, that which takes place in the chil- 
dren, this will also take place in us. "We not only ed- 
ucate our children, but ourselves also, for the educa- 



410 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

tion of child and self is mutual and continual. Then, 
parents, children and teacher, in fact, we all are need- 
ful of mental training, and in all events more especial- 
ly are we in need of a training in oiur innermost re- 
ligions lif.°. Then for this lrjit^r education let us also 
strike upon the only secure and true way, namely: 
From man, whom we see, through life, through the 
world, through nature up to God whom we do nott 
see, but whose voice is comtinually heard, and His 
everywhere presence is marked in all things about us! 

"God hath a voice that is ever heard, 
In the peal of the thunder, in the chirp of the bird; 
It comes in the torrent, all rapid and strong, 
In the streamlet's soft gush as it ripples along; 
It breathes in the zephyr, -just kissing the bloom; 
It lives in the rush of the sweeping simoon; 
Let the hurricane whistle or warblers rejoice, 
What do they tell us, but God hath a VOICE? 

God hath a presence and that you may see 
In the fold of the flower, the leaf of the tree; • 

In the sun of the noon-day, the star of the night; 
In the storm clouds of darkness, the rainbow of light; 
In the waves of the ocean, the furrows of land; 
In the mountains of granite, the atoms of sand; 
Turn where you may - — from the sky to the sea; 
Where can you gaze that you see not a God? 

Instructions In English. 

These shall lead the child to an understanding and 
unto a proper use of English, both in speaking and in 
writing, ennobling the hearts and minds of the youth 



THE SCHOOL CHILD. 4H 

*of'our land by leading them into our national litera- 
ture and fostering a genuine American humor and 
•feeling and an American disposition. The importance 
•of these instructions in English hardly need be fur- 
ther emphasized. Language is the spiritual bond 
"Which binds a people A\ r ith one another into a national 
•companionship and with the fathers, and a linguistic 
-accomplishment in its oral and written communica- 
tions is necessary in our time, taking upon itself more 
and more greater expansion. The instructions in Eng- 
lish are embraced in the following units : Reading 
with Literature, Writing, Orthography,. Grammar 
and Composition. 

Instructions In Reading. 

Through these the pupil shall become enabled to 
read paragraphs in English and Latin, clearly, dis- 
tinctly and carefully observing the punctuation marks 
-and with a suitable sense-accentuation. In both the 
first two school-years the children should appropriate 
unto themselves a mechanical readiness in reading, 
in the middle class a suitable sense-accentuation and 
in the upper class learn to beautifully read, and be- 
sides this in the upper grades there should be impart- 
ed to the pupils the nature and character of the most 
important forms and various kinds of poetry, and most 
worthy poetic productions known in the history of liter- 
ature, and through the study of certain master-pieces 
In prose and poetry they should be guided so as to 



412 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

cultivate a taste for the artistic, beautiful and ingen- 
ious representations in both. 

Instructions In Writing. 

This unit has this task toi perform, to make the chil- 
dren the possessors of a cJear, plain, pleasing and 
easy hand-writing. This aim will only be best reached 
when the pupils not simply during the writing-hour, 
but also in what they for the school and in the home 
write doing it with care and exactness. 

From the very beginning the child should accustom 
itself unto a proper bodily position and a correct- 
method of pen-holding. In respect to the former it 
should observe the following : The upper body should 
be slightly inclined towards the table or desk without 
having the breast touching the same. The feet shoul<L 
with the entire sole rest squarely upon the floor. The 
left forearm up to the elbow should rest obliquely 
upon the table. The left hand with the fingers 
should lightly touch the table or writing-book, and 
the eyes should be distant from the page from 14 to 
18 inches. 

Instructions in Spelling, 

Spelling is principally a matter of constant exercise 
and is learned by the careful observation and impres- 
sion of word-pictures and through the frequent tran- 
scribing, copying and noting down different words. 
The art of spelling is also supported by oral pro-- 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 413 

nunciation and attentive hearing. An index of words 
is of a good service. 

Instructions in English Grammar. 

This branch of study should impart to the children 
- a knowledge of etymology, syntax and the various 

kinds of sentences, such as are necessary unto an un- 
• derstanding and a proper usage of the mother-tongue, 

also pupils should have a certain grammatical insight 
<as to the exceptions and rules governing the relations 
-of nouns, pronouns, verbs, etc. 

Instructions In Composition^ 

This should lead the pupil unto a free and inde- 
pendent expression of its own thoughts, and it should 
lead so far that during the last school-year it may be 
able to present its thoughts clearly and rhetorically 
properly arranged out of material given to it, or which 
it may itself have gathered. Later from the twelfth 
year on it should deliver "free compositions,' ' com- 
positions which, as to matter and form, should be the 
sequences of its own experiences, observations and re- 
searches. 

Instructions In Arithmetic. 

Have this task in view; to fit the child that it may 

~%e able to quickly understand and self-dependently 

solve all such problems commonly occurring in the 

every-day life of a citizen. The child should become 

"thorough!}- conversant with the following arithmetical 



414 ™E SCHOOL CHILD. 

subjects: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and 
Division as the fundamentals j then also with Common 
and Decimal Fractions, Percentage, Interest, Dis- 
count, Proportion and certain portions of Mensura- 
tion. This unit of study has for practical life a deep 
significance. He who cannot cipher and not measure 
and by proportion determine is hampered in his busi- 
ness transactions and must depend upon the support 
of others to show or assist him. The merchant, the 
industrial worker, the handicraftsman, the agricuK 
turist and the hofusewife all must be able to cipher in* 
order that they may protect themselves against fraud 
and over-charges. Again through this, that these 
arithmetical instructions exercise upon the mind of 
the child a salutary influence in the estimation of 
things in weight, number and gross, thus invigorating' 
the sense of real value, and also through this, that the 
slightest error. makes the whole labor-result useless, 
thus enforcing attention and care. 

In ciphering yet morre than in any other subject of 
instruction the progress must be uninterruptedly 
made from the easier to the more difficult. The par- 
ents must, therefore, if the child on account of forced 
absence or some other cause, does not get along with 
the same, provide that the gaps should be filled out. 
The groundwork for all arithmetical calculations is 
the multiplication tables in their several forms. Hence 
the parents should thereon with care observe that an 
entire certaintv obtains. And also the various tables 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 415 

of weights and measures should be carefully com- 
mitted to memory. 

The Instructions Of Form. 

In this study the body is only observed according 
to its foirm and largeness, and all other distinguishing 
marks are omitted. By it a form-sense is cultivated, 
the understanding is sharpened in the laws and rules 
of form, and it exercises the pupil in the cultivation 
of the magnitude of bodies that it may happen to meet 
in life. The measuring off and estimation of exten- 
sion, the calculation of levels and bodies, to design 
and to project drawing with rule and compass in civil 
life are of practical value. 

The Sciences And History. 

These studies in the course of instruction in our pub- 
lic schools occupy a very important place and are very 
essential unto the culture and general intelligence of 
every child. (Intuitive Instructions) A knowledge 
of home, historically and geographically, Geography 
in its various divisions; History of the U. S. ; Physics 
and Physiology. These unlock unto the child the nat- 
ural and the human world and therefore attain unto 
a great significance. 

Intuitive Instructions. 

These should be imparted by the parents in the 
home and during their rambles with the child, and,. 



416 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

if imparted in the school, they should occupy a place 
in the first two years of school-life. They have in 
view this particular purpose, namely, to guide system- 
atically the sense-activity of the child, leading it unto 
a minute observation of things and objects, and to 
make the child a confidant of the multifarious forms 
of human and natural life, and to enrich its already 
existing intuitions. "That such intuitive instructions 
are very necessary is indicated by the fact that many 
children at their entrance in school very imperfectly 
know those things with which, from the beginning, 
they daily come in the closest contact. 

Home-Geography. 

With the intuitive instructions, local geography 
and the immediate world about the child should en- 
gage its attention. Geography in general invites it 
to turn aside from that which is close at hand and to 
take a look into the distant and remoite. In these geo- 
graphical instructions, first the narrower, afterwards 
the more distant of our country should engage the at- 
tention of the child ; beginning with the home-local- 
ity, going out from that until the whole count}' and 
boundary counties and the state with their principal 
natural features, such as rivers and mountains; then 
the principal cities and the leading commercial pro- 
ducts and mineral resources. After these have been 
studied, then taking up the boundary states in the 
same order until all the states in the Union have been 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 417 

•carefully studied, and when the child possesses a fair 
and comprehensive geographical knowledge of its own 
country, then the lands north and south of us may 
be taken up and thus extending the studies to other 
countries, until the child is gradually led into all 
parts of the Avorld and becomes informed concerning 
every country and nation. The finality of these in- 
structions should have in view the pointing of the 
children to these facts, that all movements in the uni- 
verse take place according to unchangeable, eternal 
laws, that everywhere the wisdom oif the Creator pre- 
vails, and that "The heavens declare the glory of 
God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork." 

Instructions In History. 

In the instructions of this branch the principal 
events entering into the unfolding of humanity, eth- 
ically, religiously and socially, should be presented 
in full, living individual pictures, and particularly 
entering in the development of the national life, the 
character and the civic institutions of our country. 
The teaching- of history has not simply in view the 
making of the child acquainted with the mighty ac- 
tions of the past ages, but, on the contrary, it has the 
present to interpret by pointing to the past, and above 
all, it should have in view this purpose, the ennobling 
of the moral will of the youth through exalted exam- 
ples of patriotism, love for country, firmness of faith 
27 



418 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

in her institutions; love for humanity, courage and 
self sacrifice for land and fireside, to awaken an in- 
spiration for the highest purpose of man and to fortify 
the belief that an Almighty God disposes in the affairs 
of nations. 

To understand and to know the nations of antiqui- 
ty is instructive; but for our American morals and 
for an enlightened understanding of the important 
civic and social problems belonging to us as a nation 
and for its readjustment, it is of vital importance 
that every American youth acquaints himself thor- 
oughly with the history of his own people, and more 
particularly with that newer history leading up to the 
present in which a broader interpretation is given to 
the meaning of "Democracy." 

Father, mother, it is indeed of very little value, 
either practically or intellectually, that your child 
should know a chain of facts and dates having no 
correlations whatever in the production of important 
events in the life and activities of a people. But ' ' what, 
is of living importance is to understand the slofw 
growth of social virtues, to feel patriotic, to realize- 
how the rights of men are slowly being defined, that 
politics are but attempts to include more and more 
individuals in an ever widening circle of peace, 
equality, order and virtue. History, whether ancient 
or modern, is only inspiration in so far as it gives 
some idea to the youth of the aims of mankind and 
points out to them how the hopes and aspirations of one 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 419 

generation translate themselves into the welfare of 
the next." 

Instructions In The Natural Sciences. 

These may be divided into the following units of 
study: Natural History, Physics and Chemistry. Nat- 
ural History imparts unto the child a knowledge of 
the organic bodies of nature: Animals (Zoology), 
Plants (Botany), Man (Physiology and Hygiene), In- 
organic bodies (Geology and Mineralology). Physics 
on the contrary deals entirely with the forces and the 
phenomena of nature ; Chemistry deals with the com- 
position of material things and the changes which they 
undergo. 

Instructions In Natural History. 

These should have as a purpose the awakening in 
the child of an understanding and an interest for and 
in the life-appearances in the plant and animal world, 
and the creation in it for a delight and a love for na- 
ture. A decided emphasis should be placed upon the 
observation of the subject itself as to its organic life 
and life-history, of its nature-essence and a knowledge 
of its inner and outer structure. 

Instructions In Physiology and Hygiene. 

Instructions in these subjects should lead unto "a 
clear understanding of the organs of life, ft should 
direct the attention of the child unto the observation 



420 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

of the skeleton, muscles, skin, respiration, circulation 
of the blood, digestion, the nervous system, sense-ac- 
tivity, health and disease oif the human body, and call 
the attention of the child unto the rules presented, 
in order to keep well the body. 

Instructions In Physical. 

This branch of study should have in view the direct- 
ing of the child unto an observation of nature's phe- 
nomena and particularly such as has significance in 
house-keeping (girls), as well as in trade and com- 
merce (boys). Alsoi in this study the principal weight 
of instruction should center itself hereon, to very 
closely observe every phenomenal manifestation, to 
unfold the laws of nature founded on fact, and then 
to apply to oither related phenomena, and thus to in- 
terest and encourage in a comprehensive measure the 
self -activity of the pupil in the making of further in- 
vestigations and experiments in this interesting study. 
Supported and made of more interest Avill these 
investigations be by the use of apparatus, such as ves- 
sels, tools and playthings. Particularly boys will be 
animated and led to construct simple apparatus of 
their own. While this unit of study tends to lead the 
pupils to be actively working to learn by their own 
doing, many call this branch of instruction also 
i ' Work-knowledge. ' ' 

Father, mother, that yciu may enrich the fund of 
knowledge of your child in the department of the real 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 421 

sciences, observe in your pleasure-trips with it the 
physical environs of your own dwelling place, direct 
its attention unto the earth-formation, the soils and 
the trees of your home-regioin. Relate to it self -exper- 
ienced historic events, view with it the bodies of na- 
ture, teach it to observe the development of a plant, 
the unfolding of an animal, as for example the butter- 
fly and the frog, etc., and point out to it how every- 
where in nature the wisdom and goodness of God re- 
veal themselves. 

Instructions In Drawing. 

These have in view the cultivation of the eye and 
the hand, the enlivening of the sense for the orderly 
and the beautiful, and the fostering of the power of 
the imagination. Through drawing the child should 
learn to self-dependently preserve and to represent 
the things and occurrences oif its neighborhood in 
form and color. Drawing is a means of expression,. 
which should with equal rights stand alongside of 
speech and writing, and it is in the practical life of: 
to-day almost equally necessary to again reproduce 
an idea in form and line as a thought in words. (True r 
much of this is now done with the camera.) During" 
the first school-years/ 'model" drawing and later real 
or "drawing from nature" should be practiced. Par- 
allel with this should go "memory-drawing." Greatly 
is it to be encouraged in this unit of studv that the 



422 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

child also outside of the school maintains a sketch- 
book. 

Instructions In Singing. 

These should fit the pupils through exercise with 
an ear for music, a voice to sing alone or in the choir ; 
imparting to them a knowledge of the notes, and 
should aid them in making their own a number of secu- 
lar and spiritual songs of lasting worth as to text and 
melody. Song uplifts the natural inclinations, inspires 
faith and fosters character-culture. Singing is to 
children a necessity, and they have thereunto a right. 

Gymnastic Instructions. 

These should through an orderly exercise of the 
body foster the health of the children and through an 
earnest discipline accustom them toi order, graceful- 
ness, obedience and self-control. In the lower grades 
play and free exercise should stand in the fore- 
ground. Tn the middle grades play should be some- 
what abated and the greater portion of the time be 
applied to regular gymnastic exercise. In the upper 
grades the regulation exercise for the boys should 
train unto an erect carriage in walking, etc., but with 
the girls they should awaken a sense of courteousness 
and gracefulness of form. The virtues that should 
be unfolded in the boy through these exercises are 
courage, power and endurance ; in the girl om the con- 
trary, above all, dexterousness and skilfulness. 






THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 423 

Instructions in Feminine Handiwork. 

This line of instructions should have in view the 
teaching to the girls all kinds of feminine handiwork, 
such as are necessary for plain house-keeping, as knit- 
ting, crocheting, sewing and cutting out all ordinary 
garments, and toi self-dependently accomplish the 
darning of socks, etc., and the mending of damaged 
wash-pieces. Hereby will also be imparted to them 
at the same time that required insight as to the kind 
and the value of the material and the tools emploA^ed. 

Instructions in Manual Training. 

More and more is it becoming the inclination among 
boys and girls to learn some practical trade or to be- 
come acquainted with the use of tools. School-author- 
ities everywhere recognizing this fact have in many 
instances added to the regular school-curriculum a 
handicraft department. 

Manual training cultivates a counterpoise unto a 
one-sided mental unfolding, and accentuates this fun- 
damental maxim, that one not alone upon the way of 
pure, intelligible thinking, but also through handiwork 
can become cultured, and that the ideas acquired 
through formative labor are much clearer and more 
firmly fixed than those appropriated to oneself 
through simple contemplation and instruction. That 
which shall deeply impress itself upon the child, and 



424 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

which shall unto it become an imperdible possession, it- 
must experience and practice. Handicraft instruc- 
tions educate in a higher measure unto a self -activity, 
self-dependence and a vigor for work and untc a prac- 
tical work-virtue than any other means of mental cul- 
ture. Thereunto may be added as essential this, 
''creative learning," that learning through painting, 
drawing, joining, carving, planing, sawing, framing^ 
building, etc., which far more corresponds to the 
child-nature, the child-play activity and mechanical 
instinct than that receptive learning. 

Respectfully yours, 

Ichabod Crane. 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 425 

CONCLUSION. 

Father, mother, the highest educational need of your son, 
your daughter, is not the cultivation of a mechanical skill 
to construct steel "bridges spanning great rivers and mighty 
mountain chasms; not to ingeniously carve and to make 
things, not to dexterously call forth the notes of the piano, 
but to exaltedly think and feel, to righteously live and 
justly act, to truly love and unfold genuine character; not 
to be a successful captain of industry and amassing millions 
in wealth and therein to exploit oneself, but on the contrary, 
to develop those simpler manly and womanly fidelities that 
ennoble both heart and soul, and those homely virtues that 
exalt manhood and womanhood. 

When Bryant wrote "The Waterfowl" and Longfellow 
1 ■ The Psalm of Life, ' ' they did more for our American civ- 
ilization than if they had constructed one of the most mag- 
nificent of ocean-liners or the mightiest of floating arsenals 
with its formidable batteries. Parents, the highest achieve- 
ment of your son, your daughter, is not in adding so much 
to the material wealth of the nation as they journey through 
life, but rather to teach others how to kindle a light within 
the soul that will keep it serene and hopeful in the very 
face of disaster and death; and to deepen the quality of 
their living in the reflection of the true, the beautiful and 
the good upon the community wherein they may dwell, and 
then as they finish their course, their living shall not have 
been in vain, but the plaudit of the Master shall be theirs: 
"WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT: 
THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, 
I WILL SET THEE OVER MANY THINGS; ENTER 
THOU INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD." 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

SERIES A. 

LETTERS, 

INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Page 

The Child, Its Worth 10 

The Problem And Significance Of Education 14 

The Family, The Best Educationl Centre 18 

Father, Think Of Your Duty!..... 22 

Mother, Think Of Your Dignity!*. 26 

Consider, Whether You Have A Son Or A Daughter To 
Educate 53 



SERIES B. 

LETTERS, 

THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Provide For It That Your Child Eemains Well 40 

What and How Shall Your Child Eat? 42 

Wherefore Should Your Child Drink No Alcoholic Li- 
quors Nor Use Tobacco? 54 

How Should You Clothe Your Child? 62 

How Should You Arrange The Child-Eoom? 68 

How, And How Long Should Your Child Sleep? 71 

How Shall You Inure Your Child? 77 

Permit Your Child To Hike 83 

Why Should Your Child Swim, Bathe, Coast and Skate? 87 

How Shall Your Child Care For Its' Teeth? 91 

Your Child Care For Its Eye And Ear 93 

Your Child Care For Its Eespiratory Organs 96 

What Shall You Do That Your Child Will Not Become 

Nervous? 101 



428 THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Page 
Do Not Send Your Child To School When It Is Not Well 107 
What Should Parents Know About Contagious Diseases 
Common Among School-Children? 109 



SERIES C. 

LETTERS, 

THE SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL EDUCATION OF THE 
SCHOOL-CHILD. 

Give To Your Child A Good Example 124 

Watch Over The Associations Of Your Child 128 

Educate Your Child Unto Religiousness 138 

Educate Your Child Unto Obedience 14? 

What Should The Parents Do When The Child Shows 

Itself Obstinate? 161 

How Should The Bidding And The Forbidding To The 

Child Be Done? 16a 

Educate Your Child Unto Truthfulness 169 

Guard Your Child From The Lie 179 

Educate Your Child Unto Industry 189 

Educate Your Child Unto Thriftiness 194 

Teach Your Child The Love Of Order And Punctuality 199 

Give To Your Child Pocket-Money 205 

Educate Your Child Unto Simplicity 213 

Educate Your Child Unto Courteousness And Good Man- 
ners 216 

Cultivate In Your Child Cheerfulness And Gladsomeness 224 

Cultivate In Your Child A Love For Nature 231 

Teach Your Child To Love The Animals 237 

Cultivate In Your Child A Love For Flowers 243 

How Should You Praise And Censure Your Child.' 248 

How Should You Admonish Your Child? 255 

What Should You Know Concerning The Punishment 

and Rewarding Of Children? 258 

Should Children Apologize? '. 274 

Permit Your Child To Play 276 



THE SCHOOL-CHILD. 429 

Page 

How And What Should You Relate To Your Child? 284 

The Sunday Afternoon Belongs To The Child 289 

What Should You Consider In The Bestowal Of Christ- 
mas Gifts Upon Your Child? 292 

What Should You Know Concerning Youth's Literature? 298 

How Should You Educate Your Daughter? 308 

What Shall Your Son Become? 312 

When And How Enlighten Your Child On Sexual Mat- 
ters ? 320 



SERIES D. 

LETTERS. 

THE SCHOOL AND ITS STUDIES. 

What Should You Know Concerning The Purpose And 

Duty Of The School? 332 

How Best Beforehand Prepare Your Child For The 

School? 338 

The First School-Entrance Day! 348 

How Should You Go Hand In Hand With The School?.- 35S 
Wherefore And How Should Your Child Prepare Home- 
School Labors? 360 

Should Piano-Instructions Be Imparted To The Child?.... 368 

Observe The Deportment-Card Of Your Child 371 

Wherefore Do Many Children In School Not Properly 

Move Forward? 378 

Your Son Cannot Be Promoted! 385 

How Shall Your Child Spend The Long Vacation? 389 

What Should You Know Concerning The Units Of 
Study? 398 



ERRORS. 

Page 54 subject should read: Wherefore Should Your 
Ohild Drink No Alcoholic Liquors Nor Use Tobacco? 
Page 240, line 11, should read: "Eyes Sparkling." 



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